Carlo and the St Kilda Botanical Gardens Gates

The Botanical Gardens in St Kilda, also known as the Blessington Street Gardens, were established in 1859. St Kilda Historian, J. B. Cooper wrote about the establishment of the gardens and the role played by Tilman Gloystein, in its design - 
At the St. Kilda Council meeting held on September 28, 1859, a motion was carried, affirming "the desirability of the reserve, bounded by Tennyson, Blessington, and Dickens Streets, in the neighbourhood of the swamp, being granted by the Government, for the purpose of a Botanical Garden, and that the proper steps be at once taken to procure the necessary conveyance." The motion brought forward by Councillor Tullett, and seconded by Councillor McNaughton, met with the warmest support from the chairman, the Hon. Alexander Fraser, M.L.C. Cooper....

The Council enclosed the Blessington Street land with a substantial picket fence, six feet in height, and then made the announcement to the residents, that it was proposed to form the land into a "public gardens, and promenade." Designs for the gardens, and promenade, were announced...... The design of Mr. Gloystein was adjudged the most suitable one in the contest, and he was paid the £10. The lines of the walks, and flower beds were "trenched out agreeably with the design, and a nursery commenced, in the gardens ready for the next season's planting." (1).

The Gardens in 1896. Dickens Street is on the left.

Detail of Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works plan, scale 160 feet to 1 inch. no.45 , Prahran & St Kilda.

State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/143131

There is more detail about the Botanical Gardens in an Argus newspaper article from June 1860.  Tilman Gloystein's surname is incorrectly listed as Goldstein in the article. 
The Municipal Council of St. Kilda, at their weekly meeting yesterday evening, took two steps forward towards the establishment of a local botanical garden, by, in the first place, awarding the premium for the best design to Mr. Tilman W. Goldstein; and, in the second place, by accepting a tender from Mr. Kidner for the fencing-in of the gardens, at a cost of £424. Mr. Goldstein's design, although somewhat elaborate, is not marked by that formality so that frequently characterizes plans of a similar kind, and, whilst avoiding the mistake of dividing the ground into too small plots, for plants, &c., lays out ample space both for promenade and riding or driving, interspersed by numerous shrubberies. The only approach to formality is immediately in the centre of the gardens, where he proposes to place a pavilion for a band, and which is surrounded by circular walks and beds. Mr. Goldstein has adorned the place by a couple of fountains, and has selected spots for the erection of hot-houses, a lodge, a superintendent's residence, and other buildings, which it will probably be too costly to carry out at present. (2)

Tilman Gloystein was a tragic figure and this 1856 report gives us some insight into his life -  

a highly respectable-looking German, named Gloystein, was brought up at the City Court on Wednesday on suspicion of being a lunatic. The unfortunate man, it appeared, is an architect by profession and has been several years in the colonies. Recently, however, he has been without occupation, and during the last fortnight he has been residing in a boarding-house in Lonsdale-street west. His altered circumstances appear to have preyed on his mind and on two or three occasions of late his conduct to his fellow-lodgers has been such as to cause the charge of lunacy to be preferred against him. Gloystein was questioned by the Bench, and gave a very coherent and intelligent statement of his depressed circumstances. He alleged that his conduct to his fellow-lodgers was the result of some impropriety on their parts. Dr. O'Reilly was called and stated that Gloystein was a perfect gentleman when in sound health, but his belief was that at present he was suffering from mental anxiety. (3).

In the 1860s and 1870s there are numerous newspaper reports of him being charged with vagrancy or drunkedness for which he spent time in gaol or in the Asylum. He was admitted for the last time to the Sunbury Lunatic Asylum on December 1, 1879, where he died on January 22, 1894, aged 77. (4).

Over the years the gardens became neglected, so much so that in 1901 a person using the pseudonym, 'A. Ratepayer', wrote to the Prahran Telegraph -
....the name botanical must be looked into. As regards myself I call botanical gardens where all ornamental shrubs, trees, and flowers are named with large and small labels in writing. Our botanical gardens contains nothing but a few rough trees, common pelargoniums, common chrysanthemums and verbenas, and a few plants here and there of other species. There should be nice ornamental trees and flowers of all descriptions, and then the name botanical would then come in, and the public would have something to look at. (5).

John Watkins, Curator of the Gardens

The Herald, November 2, 1918 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242668651

It was the appointment of  John Williams Watkins as curator of the gardens which turned the gardens into a place well worth visiting. In 1919 the Prahran Telegraph reported that -

When we remember what the old rambling place of wild wilderness was until Mr. W. J. Watkins, the present curator, came along, and turned it with the spade of a true gardener, and transformed it into an abiding place of smooth, sweeping lawns, bordered with a fringe of many-hued lace made up of variegated flowers, and picturesque shrubs, we can well marvel at the change he has delved to bring about o'er the scene. We have had it suggested to us that a fairy wand was at work, and the results seems to give that impression, but we know better.  An inhospitable soil, filled with the metal screenings of streets, had to be taken in hand. The soil had to be so dealt with as to see that plant food took the place of metal screenings. The rose has been made to blossom in the desert, or something akin to that miracle has been performed by Mr. Watkins. The garden is now the home of exquisite flowers that in their season appear on the benches of flower shows, from there to bring awards of excellence, and prizes, and cause visitors to marvel that such beautiful blooms can be grown, if you know how, in St. Kilda-by-the-Sea. (6).

Not only did Mr Watkins perform miracles in the garden, but  -

every bush is labelled in bold letters, giving not only the name of the variety, but the class to which the variety belongs, which will make the display instructive to the amateur gardener as well as enjoyable to the ordinary flower lover. (7)  I hope the chap who wrote to the newspaper in 1901, lamenting the lack of labels, appreciated this.

The Blessington Street Gardens. 

Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co, c. 1920s-1954.

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/1935

The curator who worked his magic on the Botanical Gardens was John William Watkins. John was born in Brighton in Melbourne on October 18, 1872 to Richard and Emma (nee Best) Watkins; Richard was also a gardener. John married Caroline Godfrey Brown in Longford in Tasmania, on January 11, 1900. Caroline had been born in Launceston on July 2, 1881 to John William and Catherine (nee Owen) Brown. John and Caroline had two sons, both born in Launceston -  Albert Edwin on November 6, 1900 and Vernon Arthur on July 8, 1902. (8)

In 1911, John was appointed as the curator of the St Kilda Botanical Gardens. In 1914, Mr. Watkins was promoted to Head Gardener at the City of St Kilda, with the responsibility to supervise the gardening work throughout the city (9) In 1916 it was reported that at the Botanical Gardens he had the assistance of two elderly gardeners, men whom the curator has great faith in, preferring, from experience, men who are elderly. He is also charged with the supervision of the whole of the reserves and street planting in the city, having 13 men under his charge for that work. (10)

Sadly, Caroline died at only 40 years of age, on October 29, 1921. Her obituary in the Prahran Telegraph, described her -

as esteemed by a large circle of friends for the best of womanly qualities which she was gifted with in a marked degree. News of her death after an operation came as a great shock to them. It was some time before they could realise the sudden passing of such a bright spirit. Her obituary also notes that as well as being the mother of  Vernon and Bert that she was also the foster mother of Fred. (11)

On September 8, 1923, John remarried, to Doris Eileen Games. Doris had been born on January 3, 1894 in Richmond to Stephen and Martha (nee Bertrand) Games. John and Doris had two children, Jack and Nina.  He was still employed as the Curator at the Gardens in 1937, but I have no information when he retired. John died January 22, 1942, aged 69. January 22 was the same day that Tilman Gloystein died, so that's an interesting connection.  Caroline, John and Doris (who died September 13, 1970) are buried in the same grave at Brighton Cemetery. (12)

It was during the time that John Watkins was the curator that Carlo Catani, and others, donated money for the erection of gates at the Blessington Street Gardens.  The Prahran Chronicle of April 15, 1916 reported that the St Kilda Council had received donations of  £1 each... from Messrs Treichel, Baxter, Catani, Kendall and Davis towards the cost of erecting a gate to the same gardens at the corner of Blessington and Tennyson streets. (13)

At the time of this donation Carlo was living at 39 Blessington Street, St Kilda. I believe the other donors were his Blessington Street neighbours - Otto Johann Treichel, a jeweller of  No. 35;  Robert Baxter, independent means, of No. 37; Herbert Francis Kendall, a traveller, of No. 66a; Henry Davis or Henry Charles Davis, both chemists, of No. 68. (14)

To accommodate these gates the Council created a new main path twelve feet wide leading to what is to be the chief entrance at the corner of Blessington and Tennyson streets, where a pair of dignified looking gates are to be erected with money subscribed by certain appreciative rate-payers. This path was completed in October 1916. (15) It would have been a convenient entry for Carlo and his neighbours to enjoy the Gardens and admire the wonderful work of Mr Watkins and his team.

I have no information as to when the gates were erected but in November 1918 it was reported that -

The main entrance at the corner of Tennyson and Blessington streets, has been made more than ordinarily inviting by the erection of large ornamental iron gates. (16)

The gates on the corner of Tennyson and Blessington streets, 

the funds for which were contributed by Carlo and his neighbours.

Image: Isaac Hermann

As you can see from the photograph the gates are surmounted by the sign - St Kilda City Gardens. The Gardens were renamed the St Kilda City Gardens in June 1932, according to a report of a St Kilda Council meeting at that time. (17).  Does this mean that the name was a later addition to the original gates or were new gates made with the new name?  I don't know. I like to think they are the original gates and thus a tangible reminder of the generosity of Carlo and his like-minded neighbours of Blessington Street.

Acknowledgment -  I referred to St Kilda Botanical Gardens: a social snapshot of its first hundred years by Patricia Convery (St Kilda Botanical Gardens, 2014) for some background for this story. Thank you to my research colleague, Isaac Hermann, for alerting me to Carlo's donation towards the gates.

Trove lists

I have created  a short list of articles on John William Watkins and his time at the Blessington Street Gardens, access it here; and on Tilman Gloystein, access it here.

Footnotes

(1)  Cooper, John Butler The History of St Kilda from its first settlement to a city and after 1840 - 1930, v. 1 (St Kilda City Council, 1931), p. 141. 

(2) The Argus, June 29, 1860, see here.

(3) The Argus, August 8, 1856,  see here.

(4) See my Trove list of articles on Tilman's life, here; His Inquest is available at the Public Records Office of Victoria, read it here.

(5) Prahran Telegraph, June 29, 1901, see here.

(6) Prahran Telegraph, April 12, 1919, see here.

(7) The Leader, October 11, 1913, see here.

(8) Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages;  Tasmanian Archives   https://libraries.tas.gov.au/tasmanian-archives/ ; Brighton Cemetorians website https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/

(9) Prahran Telegraph, February 21, 1914, see here.

(10) The Herald, November 2, 1918, see here; Prahran Telegraph, March 11, 1916, see here.

(11) Caroline's obituary - Prahran Telegraph, November 5, 1921, see here;

(12) Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages. Doris Games' birth entry in the Indexes says she was born in Richmond; the death entry in the Indexes says she was born in Muckleford.  John's death notice The Argus, January 26, 1942, see here; Prahran Telegraph, March 14, 1930, see here;  Marriage notice, The Argus, October 13, 1923, see here; Brighton Cemetorians website https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/  The 1935 Sands and McDougall's Directory of Victoria, still list his occupation as Curator and his address in the cottage in the Botanical Gardens and the 1937 Electoral Roll shows similar information.

(13) Prahran Chronicle, April 15, 1916, see here.

(14) Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com

(15) The Leader, October 14, 1916, see here.

(16) The Herald, November 2, 1918, see here

(17) The Argus, June 14, 1932, see here.

Carlo makes valuable suggestions for the garden at Kyneton High School

In 1915 Carlo Catani, the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, received a request for a garden design for the Kyneton High School. He was clearly so well loved and respected by the public that they had no qualms approaching him for what seems to be a fairly trivial matter. However, no doubt as his son Enrico had been farming at Kyneton since he left Dookie College in 1912, the community felt they had a personal connection to Carlo. Sadly, Enrico's connection to the Kyneton area was cut tragically short by his death at Pozieres in France on July 29, 1916. (1).

The High School at Kyneton had opened in the Technical school building, on the corner of Ebden and Piper Streets in 1912, with 62 students. (2).  This building was built in 1878 as the Market building, but was only been used for this purpose for ten years, before it became the Technical School in 1888. (3). After the opening of the High School, the Technical classes were held in the building at night. (4). A new High School was officially opened in Epping Street on November 30, 1928. (5).

It was thus for a garden at the school in the old Market building that Carlo's ideas were required. The Kyneton Guardian reported in June 1915 that -
At the last meeting of the Kyneton High School Council the hon. secretary was requested to write to Mr. Catani, of the Public Works Department, thanking him for valuable suggestions re the laying out of the school garden. (6).

Were Carlo's valuable suggestions acted upon? In December 1915, it was reported that -

Mr. T. H. Stuart, head master of Kyneton High School, in his report to the school council on the year's work stated that alterations had been effected at the technical school to permit of the rooms being used for high school purposes; that a bicycle shed and other outbuildings had been erected; that the cookery room had been brought up to date, and that the office had been finished and fitted commensurately with the expansion of the school. In addition, the grounds had been graded, the garden laid out, a piano purchased and two rooms furnished with pictures. There are 130 pupils on the roll, the highest number since the establishment of the school. (7).

Was the garden actually laid out to Carlo's design? Interestingly, on the edge of the 1949 photograph below, we can see the fronds of a palm tree, a tree which Carlo frequently used in his gardens. That's enough proof for me that the School Council not only appreciated Carlo's  design suggestions, but made them a reality.

1949 photo - The Kyneton Technical School, used as the High School from 1912 until 1928. Note the palm tree on the right - part of Carlo's 1915 garden design.

Factory, Main Road, Kyneton, 1949. Photographer: Colin Caldwell.

State Library of Victoria Image H84.276/5/32A

1963 photo - The old Technical/High School building, with Carlo's palm tree on the right.

Kyneton Market Building & Old Technical School Piper St, March 10, 1963. 

Photographer: John T. Collins. State Library of Victoria Image H97.250/2054 

Footnotes

(1) Enrico Catani  - read about his school days here; read about his time at Kyneton and war service , here; and more about his war service here and here.

(2) Vision and Realisation : a centenary history of State Education in Victoria, v. 2., edited by L.J. Blake.(Education Department of Victoria, 1973)

(3) Kyneton Observer, June 30, 1888, see here; Victorian Heritage Database citation  https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/68906

(4) The Argus, July 18, 1911, see here.

(5) The Argus, December 1, 1928, see here.

(6) Kyneton Guardian, June 22, 1915, see here.

(7) The Age, December 18, 1915, see here.

George Robert Ashley - curator of the St Kilda foreshore gardens

The Catani Gardens in St Kilda were designed by Carlo Catani on reclaimed land. The reclamation work on the foreshore, began in the 1890s with a sea wall built out of rubble between St Kilda Pier and Captain Keeny’s Bathing Ship, which allowed for the creation of the Pier Lawns around the St Kilda Yacht Club by 1896. In 1899, a bluestone wall was set to further extend to Cowderoy Street, completed around 1906. Also in 1906, the St Kilda Fore Shore Committee, the special duties of which should be the work of reclamation and of beautification, according to St Kilda historian, J.B. Cooper (1).  Carlo Catani was involved in this reclamation project from the beginning and was an inaugural member of the Fore Shore Committee. The gardens on this reclaimed land were designed by Carlo Catani and his ongoing work was recognised by having them named after him in October 1927. Before the area was renamed for Carlo it was known as the Captain Cook Lawns, due to it being the location of a statue of Captain Cook (see here) and, as I said, previous to this it was known as the Pier Lawns.

Catani is deservedly credited with the garden design, but he always generously shared praise with the curator of the gardens, George Robert Ashley (1871 - 1952) and this post looks at the life and work of Mr Ashley.

George was the second curator of the foreshore gardens.  The first curator, employed by the St Kilda Fore Shore Committee, sometimes called the St Kilda Fore Shore Trust (2) was Arthur W. Kenny. He was a man of some talent and the Prahran Telegraph had this to say about him and his work -  It is very noticeable what an excellent crop of grass Mr. Kenny the curator has been able to grow this year. This is all the more creditable when it is remembered that it was the end of November before some of the seed was sown. Mr. Kenny knows his work, and the Trust are to be complimented in getting such a fine gardener. (Prahran Telegraph February 2, 1907 see here)

However, Mr Kenny soon had a 'tree change' and on May 1908 he is listed as the gardener at the guest house, Kerami, at Marysville. The grounds around "Kerame," (sic) the new tourists' resort built by Miss Glover, of Melbourne, are now completed and present a fine appearance. The work was carried out by Mr. A. W. Kenny, late curator of St. Kilda foreshore, and reflects great credit on his ability in this class of work. (Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian, June 19, 1908 see here)

I am assuming that George Ashley was appointed after Mr Kenny left for Marysville, but I do not have proof of his appointment at that time but neither can I find evidence of the  appointment of another person. However supporting his appointment at this time is the fact that in 1906 George and his wife Alice are listed in the Electoral Rolls at 13 Budd Street, Collingwood and in 1908 they are living at 57 Clyde Street in St Kilda. So, I believe that Ashley's role as the curator of the St Kilda Fore Shore Committee commenced in 1908.

The role of the Curator was varied - he obviously created and cared for the gardens that Carlo had designed  - more of which later -  but he also had administrative duties.

Left: Auction of Katzenjammer Castle.
The Argus, September 13, 1913
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7259067


In 1913, the Fore Shore Committee had for sale 'The Glidaway', an open air skating rink which had opened in November 1907 on the foreshore, and Katzenjammer Castle, which was part of the Princes Court, the Acme Pleasure Resort according to their advertisements, which was established in 1904 on St Kilda Road, where the Arts Centre is  now located. It closed in 1909. I assume that Katzenjammer Castle was then re-located to the Lower Esplanade in  St Kilda as in September 1912 it was advertised for sale, due to the expiration of the lease. It must not have sold as it then became the responsibilty of the Fore Shore Committee to dispose of both attractions and it was auctioned in September 1913. The point of telling you this is that George Ashley was the contact person for further particulars.

Katzenjammer Castle, 1909. Photographer: Frank Ernest Allen.

State Library of Victoria Image Image H2009.29/161

Other administrative jobs included being the contact person for people wanting to run refreshment stands on the St Kilda foreshore and giving evidence in Court cases. In May 1914, Alice Maud Cummings was charged with having damaged flowers valued at one shilling in the Luna Park Reserve. The case was heard at the St Kilda Court and Mr Ashley, who had caught Mrs Cummings cutting the flowers, was the main witness. Mrs Cummings was found guilty of stealing dahlias, cosmos and chrysanthemums and was fined five shillings with  three pounds in cost. It does seem a small matter but Ashley was concerned because much damage had been done to the beauty of the reserve. He gave evidence in a similar case in March 1917 where two sisters were charged with the larceny of a bunch of flowers. The girls were fined 20 shillings each. The Chairman of the St Kilda Court, Cr John Jeremiah Love, said that the curator, Mr. Ashley, was a generous man, and was always willing to give anyone a bunch of flowers, bulbs or seeds. 

Mr Ashley worked closely with Carlo Catani in the design and maintenance of the garden. The Prahran Telegraph had this tribute to Carlo and it shows the role that Ashley played in maintaining the gardens - Early in the morning, and on almost any morning of the week, Mr. Carlo Catani, Chief Engineer in the Public Works Department of Victoria, may be seen on the St. Kilda foreshore generally in consultation with Mr. Ashley, the curator of the Foreshore Committee, and in the evenings again, on his way home from his department; he may again be observed. His has been the artistic mind which has planned to make the sea beach of St. Kilda a place of beauty and of attraction to the countless thousands of visitors who resort to it during the summer time.....Where when Mr. Catani first assumed charge, only Mr. Ashley and a boy were engaged in these works of improvement, to-day there are five men regularly engaged. One begins from what has been accomplished to understand the design as a whole, and to appreciate the artistic ability of Mr. Catani as a landscape gardener. (Prahran Telegraph, August 19, 1916, see here)

The same issue of the Prahran Telegraph had a report about the unveiling of the plaque that was affixed to the Captain Cook statue which we mentioned before. This report also paid tribute to Carlo and Mr Ashley - Mr. Catani, with the assistance of Mr. Ashley, had been giving the citizens of St. Kilda beautiful lawns, against all the false prophecies which were made a few years ago, prophecies over which those gentlemen had triumphed. (Prahran Telegraph, August 19,  1916, see here)

St. Kilda foreshore and the arrival of the Prince of Wales, 1920. 

You could image how busy George Ashley and his team would have been preparing the Garden for this event. The Prince has arrived at Port Phillip Heads on May 26, 1920 on the H.M.S Renown, which was prevented from entering due to fog. He transferred to the Destroyer, Anzac, which took him up the Bay to Port Melbourne, where he transferred to the Hygeia and landed at the St Kilda Pier, where the leaders of Australia had assembled to meet him. (The Herald May 26, 1920, see here)

State Library of Victoria Image  H36170

Because this is a  post celebrating Mr Ashley skills and commitment as a curator here are two other tributes to him. In  a report about the opening of a new cafe on the Upper Esplanade, the Malvern Standard said The surroundings of the new cáfe are also very finely laid out. They were designed by Mr. Catani the Public Works Department, and valuable assistance in the work of laying out was given by Mr. G. R Ashley, curator of the foreshore, whose success as an artistic gardener shows practical evidence wherever the eye turns. The cafe building was erected by the Prahran and Malvern Tramway Trust and was operated by Mrs Leonard a lady well suited to manage and conduct a public business of the kind, according to the report.  (Malvern Standard, January 6, 1917, see here.)  The cafe was opened on December 23, 1916 and was called the Empire cafe.  It was on the corner of Acland Street,  on the same site which was at one time occupied by Baxter's Merry-Go-Round. The site was originally surveyed by Carlo Catani.

The Prahran Chronicle had an article about a perambulation the St Kilda Councillors undertook around the municipality and regarding the foreshore gardens the paper said Mr Curator Ashley is deserving of much commendation for the attractiveness and beauty which is to be seen on all sides. (Prahran Chronicle, October 27, 1917 see here)

As we know, Carlo sadly passed away on July 20, 1918 and Mr Ashley ensured that his plans and vision for the foreshore garden were completed. In October 1919 a journalist from the Prahran Telegraph paid a visit of inspection to the beach, and saw the curator, Mr. G. R. Ashley, with plan in hand. Mr. Ashley shows us how the splendid scheme of foreshore improvement designed by the late Mr. C. Catani, the State Surveyor-General, is being faithfully carried out by him. Mr. Ashley has an intense regard for Mr. Catani's works, in which, we think, most people, competent to judge, share...... Unfolding Mr Catani's plan which he carries in his pocket, Mr. Ashley shows us what has been done and what is blocked out to be done. The design, as might be expected is a composite picturesque whole. Much of the detail work was carried out as the work progressed. In this Mr. Ashley explained, Mr. Catani showed his elasticity of mind. Generally, Mr Catani imbued his ideas on Mr. Ashley's mind, and it may be said he could not have left the completion of his work in more capable hands, nor with an expert curator with more sympathetic understanding. (Prahran Telegraph, October 11, 1919, see here). How wonderful it would be to find Carlo's plan which Mr Ashley carried in his pocket.

It was another four years of work to complete Carlo's vision as The Age reported Mr. George Ashley, the curator of the St. Kilda foreshore management committee, states that he can now see signs of coming to the end of his constructive work in carrying out the plans of beautification of the late Mr. Catani, "the engineer artist," who designed the garden landscape of lawns and shrubberies alongside the beach.  (The Age November 27, 1922 see here)

I know from newspaper reports that Mr Ashley was employed by the St Kilda Fore Shore Committee until at least 1926, but I do not know when he retired. He is listed in the 1928 Electoral Rolls at 45 Clyde Street and his occupation is curator. In the 1931, when he was 60, George and Alice are living in Wilson Street in Cheltenham, so I believe he would have retired from the Fore Shore Committee at that time.

Before I get onto George's family life I can tell you that he had a love of dahlias. During the First World War there was a shortage of seeds and bulbs as they could not be imported so gardeners had to create new varieties and at a meeting of the Malvern and District Horticultural Society some of these new creations were displayed including Mr Ashley's collarette and single dahlias. At the same meeting, George Cooper, who was the curator of the Alexandra Gardens and who also worked closely with Carlo was reported to have a promising Japanese iris bed, in which there are nearly 1000 seedlings of his own raising by the judicious crossing of imported varieties. (The Herald, April 18, 1917, see here) You can read more about George Cooper, here.

 The lawn and pier, St Kilda. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.

Carlo Catani's design, George Ashley's work

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/605

George Robert Ashley, was born in 1871 in Collingwood to James and Mary (nee Hogan) Ashley.  He married Alice Maud Rickards in 1893. She was the daughter of William and Sarah (nee Keeble) Rickards. They had eight children, the first three were born in Carlton and the rest in Collingwood. Sadly for the family three of the children died very young.

1. Gladys Maude, 1893 - 1982.  Gladys married James Miller in  1923.
2. Sarah Florence, 1896 - 1898, died aged 2
3. Mary Ellen,  1898 - 1977.  In October 1915, when Mary was seventeen she was the subject of a drama when she was reported missing by her father. It was reported on in The Herald (see here).  Shortly after this she married Edward Rufus Schofield in 1916, had a baby Hector Ward Schofield, but  he sadly died at 5 months old in 1916. The couple then  had another baby Edward Gordon in 1918. When Edward Rufus died in 1942, Mary married Matthew Gilmore Lawson.  
4. Martha Keeble, 1901 - 1967. Martha married Donald Wallace Cameron in 1930, I believe they were divorced and she married John Sexton in 1950.
5. George Arthur,  1903 - 1903, died at the age of seven months
6. George Lewis,  1904 - 1904, died at the age of one month
7. Sarah Violet , 1905 - 1993. Sarah married John Henry Hodges in 1926.
8. Florence Emily 1908 - 1991. Florence married Bernard William Duthie in 1930. 

There is a story connected to the wedding of Sarah to John Hodges in 1926. On April 22 in that year George was found lying in the street in mysterious circumstances, the story was reported in The Argus -  At half past 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon George Robert Ashley, aged 55 vears, of Clyde street, St Kilda, was found found on the roadside in Martin street, Elwood. He told the police that he had been robbed of about £50 in notes. Senior-detective R. Brennan, Detective E. Ethell, and Plain clothes Constable Smith, of St Kilda, made premliminary inquiries into the incident, but, owing to his dazed condition, Ashley was unable to give them a coherent account of his movements. He said, however, that he has drawn the money the bank on Tuesday for the purchase of presents in connection with his daughter's wedding.

Ashley, who is a foreman gardener employed on the St Kilda foreshore, told the detectives that he had several drinks in an hotel at St Kilda yesterday morning, and that he remembered entering a motor-car driven by a man with coloured glasses. He knows nothing of his movements after that until he was found in Martin street. About £50, which he had in his possession was then missing. (The Argus, April 23, 1926, see here)

George Ashley's death notice from The Argus November 15, 1952.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23206087

Apart from the few years spent in Cheltenham in the early 1930s, George and Alice and family lived at three addresses in  Clyde Street in St Kilda - No. 57, No. 55 and from around 1936 at No. 45. Alice Ashley died June 14, 1959 aged 86. George predeceased her as he passed away November 14, 1952. He was cremated at Springvale and his ashes were scattered. His death notice described him as a loving father and devoted grandfather of Gladys, Shirley, Jean, Gordon, Robert, John and Brian. That's really sweet. I wish I had a  photo of George to show you, but I don't.

Holiday Makers at St Kilda - perhaps some of the many who flocked to St Kilda and left their rubbish behind for Mr Ashley to clean up (see below)

Image: The History of St Kilda from its first settlement to a City and after, 1840 - 1930 (see footnote 1)

We will finish this tribute to Mr Ashley, who not only worked closely with Carlo to ensure his vision of the St Kilda foreshore came to fruition but who was also clearly devoted to his role, with this excerpt taken from the Prahran Telegraph. The report was on the hundreds and thousands [who] flocked to the beaches. St. Kilda foreshore, from, west to south, was particularly crowded over the Christmas and New Year period..... One particular sore point about the business is that when Mr. George Ashley, the foreshore curator, gazes upon a scene such as that described, with the place littered with so much rubbish and cast off food pieces, he simply breaks down and weeps. But in course of time a transformation is brought about, and within a comparatively few hours the foreshore is looking as neat and trim as if tens of thousands of holiday makers had never been near it. It is said that George Ashley can get rid of the heaps of cast-off lunch-wrappers on the foreshore in as quick time as Byron Moore (3) can dispose of myriads of discarded betting tickets at Flemington. (Prahran Telegraph January 9, 1925, see here) 

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Acknowledgement
The information about the early history of the reclamation works of the St Kilda foreshore was provided to me by my research colleague, Isaac Hermann. Some of the first paragraph is actually his writing, so I am, as always, grateful to him for sharing this with me. Isaac also provided me with information about the Empire Cafe including its name, the date of opening and the fact that it was built on the site of  Baxter's Merry-Go-Round.  Thank you, Isaac.

Trove List
I have created a list of newspaper articles on Trove, connected to George Ashley. You can access it here. All the articles referred to here are on the list.

Footnotes
(1) John Butler Cooper wrote the two volume The History of St Kilda from its first settlement to a City and after, 1840 - 1930. It was published by the St Kilda City Council in 1931. The quote about the role of the Fore Shore Committee is from Volume 2, page 203. The image of the Holiday Makers is from Volume 2, facing page 190.

(2) The St Kilda Fore Shore Committee is also sometimes called the St Kilda Fore Shore Trust. My fellow historian, the aforementioned Isaac Hermann who has a particular interest in the history of Elwood and St Kilda,  explained to me that [he considers]  the Trust to be the legal and financial entity, while the Committee to be the operational body of members that constitute the Trust: so the Fore Shore Committee would meet to facilitate the projects, aims, goals, statutes of the Trust.

(3) Henry Byron Moore  (1839 - 1925) was Secretary of the Victorian Racing Club. You can read his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, here.

Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne

Alexandra Avenue, designed by Carlo Catani,  was officially opened by the  Duke of Cornwall and York on May 17, 1901. The land adjacent to the Avenue was turned into a public park in 1904 and this park was also designed by Carlo and it was called Alexandra Gardens.  The area already a number of boat sheds for rowing clubs erected and the Army Engineers depot, which wasn't removed until 1935, so the gardens were designed behind and around these buildings.

The State Library of Victoria has a brochure from c. 1911 of a plan of the Botanic Gardens precinct gardens, including Alexandra Gardens (or Park as it was then known)

 Part of the Plan of the Botanic Gardens area showing Alexandra Park and Queen Victoria Gardens.
Botanic gardens:Photo-lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, Melbourne, by W.J. Butson; drawn by F.S. Hilcke, c. 1911.

State Library of Victoria - see the full plan here http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/166011

We will let a journalist from The Australasian of May 2, 1908 tell us what a delight the gardens were
One of the most, attractive sights in Melbourne just at the present time is the glorious display of flowers just across Prince's-bridge, at the entrance of the Alexandra-avenue. The roses are past their best, but the dahlias, chiefly of the cactus and decorative sections, are in their prime. Single dahlias are not appreciated by everyone, but a large yellow variety here is really a good thing. Cosmeas are in profusion; their light graceful foliage and showy blossoms contrast well with the heavier appearance of the surrounding plants. Bonfire Salvias are a blaze of dazzling scarlet S. azurea is rightly named its colour being a heavenly blue ; S. Grahami purpurata is a rosy shade of crimson. Golds and yellows are found in Rudbeckia Golden Glow and some of the dwarf Helianthuses. Cannas are a little past their prime, but Bouvardias, Lasiandras, Marguerites, and several other autumn plants ate at their best. Palms, grasses, Aralia papyrifera, Dracænas, Yuccas, and many other kinds of foliaged plants are judiciously interspersed here and there amongst the banks and beds of flowers. Signor Catani of the Public Works department deserves very great credit for the manner in which he has designed and laid out the ground. it is indeed a choice bit of landscape gardening. For many years this spot was a desolation and an eyesore; it has been converted into quite a fairy-like place, full of beautiful flowers and shrubs, rockeries, and well kept lawns, and all within a few minutes' walk of the Melbourne Town-hall. 
(Australasian May 2, 1908, see article here)

 

Princes Bridge, Melbourne.     State Library of Victoria Image H2014.1013/13

This shows some of the garden 'just across Princes Bridge', as the article above described. It is not the best photo - but I like it as it is a post card sent from Clara to Daisy - "Dear Dais - We are having a good time with my uncle, aunt and cousins. We are never home. We have  a servant coming on Saturday, so we will be able to enjoy ourselves much better. I wish you were down, from Clara"

Dais was Daisy Donaldson and the card was sent in 1905.

Even though, Carlo did deserve much credit for this dazzling array the head curator, George Cooper, deserves much credit. You can read more about George William Cooper, here. This great tribute to Mr Cooper comes from The Leader of May 4, 1912. 
The Curator, Mr G.W. Cooper; is prouder of this achievement that when he is praised for the very beautiful color displays, which are to be see at all seasons of the year in the beds and rockeries. Mr. Cooper is a son of the foreman of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, and the results of his work, now under notice, stamp him as one of the best of the younger generation gardeners in Victoria. The all-important factor of enthusiasm is behind this excellent example of public gardening, and Mr.Cooper's untiring efforts receive full encouragement from another enthusiast, Mr. C. Catani, who as Chief Engineer of the Public Works department, is the officer responsible for the maintenance of the avenue, which ends all too abruptly at Anderson-street.

Mr G. W. Cooper in the Alexandra Gardens.

The Leader, May 4, 1912. 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198130793

One area of the gardens was the Henley Lawn where spectators by the thousands lined up to watch the annual Henley-on-Yarra rowing regatta.  The lawn was laid out by Carlo and George Cooper in Autumn 1908. You can read a history of the Henley-on Yarra here, on the Australian Henley webite, http://www.australianhenley.org/history.html

Henley, before the First World War, c.1910 - 1914. Photographer: Albert Jones. This photo was taken in the Alexandra Gardens.

State Library of Victoria H2007.130/45

One of the features of the Alexandra Gardens is the Federation Star Bed, also called the Commonwealth Star bed. It was designed by Carlo and George Cooper and on July 11, 1906 was planted out with 200 roses by the  National Rose Society. The bed consisted of a six-pointed star representing the Commonwealth with interposing circular beds signifying each State. Each State was represented by a different colour rose. Read my post on the Federation Star bed, here. 

Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne.

Wonderful photo of the Federation Star Bed, dated circa 1906.

State Library of Victoria  Image H96.200/607

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Sources: Melbourne's Historic Public Gardens: a management and conservation guide by Rex Swanson. City of Melbourne, 1984.
Civilising the City: a history of Melbourne's Public Gardens by Georgina Whitehead (State Library of Victoria, 1997)
I have  created  a list of newspaper articles on Trove, on the Alexandra Gardens and W.G. Cooper,  you can access the list here.

Carlo designs May Park in Horsham

Amongst Carlo Catani's work in Victoria was the design of May Park in Horsham. The original piece of land where May Park is, was triangular in shape and was created in the 1860s by a new road which cut off the land from the adjoining allotment. The land was part of the Shire of Wimmera, but in 1882 when the Borough of Horsham was created it should have gone to them but the Shire retained control. Ever since then the borough ratepayers have been placed in the novel position of having within their territory, in a part which is capable of improvement, at blank piece of land over which they have no authority. Some years ago the Progress Association, after receiving a substantial donation from Mr. S. May, planted a few pepper trees on the reserve and euphemistically named it May Park. Since then it has been more or less a harbor for rabbits, periodically a grazing ground for favored stock, and ever a scene of desolation (Horsham Times, July 25, 1911) In 1912, the Wimmera Shire had plans to sell the land but that did not eventuate and around 1914, it was officially handed over to the Borough of Horsham and they decided to formulate a definite scheme for the improvement of the locality. (Horsham Times, April 10, 1914)

Views in May Park, published in Horsham Illustrated, by the Horsham Times, 1920s.

Digitised at the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/245438

By good fortune, Carlo Catani, was in the town in July 1914, so the Council was able to obtain his expert opinion and advice. Two weeks later the Horsham Times could report on these plans -
In outline, his suggestions for the improvement of May Park are the erection of a screen of permanent trees right round the boundary, with shade trees and seats bordering on the paths. There is proposed a large lawn for the youngsters, a band stand and shelter, with conveniences, a fernery, rockery, and two small ponds, for acquatic and other plants, introduced about the centre of the Dimboola-road frontage. A palm group would be near the entrance, and, between this and the pond, would be flower beds. Outside, at the east end, would be an ornamental lamp post, on Grampian stone, with a tablet commemorating the fact that Major Mitchell passed close by in 1836, and at the north end a similar erection and tablet to mark Eyre's visit in I838. (Horsham Times July 24, 1914) Carlo also suggested enlarging the park by acquiring land from the adjacent road reserves.

Work was commenced later in 1914; a large double iron gate was donated by McDonald Brothers, builders and contractors, of Horsham in September 1916. In May 1917, the Horsham Progress Association made a canvass of the town for subscriptions to enable the gardens committee to have the necessary lawns planted in May Park and £160 was raised (Horsham Times, May 4 1917). A year later, in May 1918, Mr Frank Rushbrook, Honorary Secretary of the Horsham Progress Association wrote a letter to the editor of the Horsham Times saying that May Park is now nearing completion, and the flowers and shrubs are coming on well. He also urged that Let each one when in the park consider himself or herself one of its guardians, and do all that is possible to prevent any damage being done. (Horsham Times May 24, 1918).

Picturesque May's Park, Horsham, 1940s

Views of Horsham postcard series, State Library of Victoria Image H2001.132/4a

Before we go onto the opening of May Park, we will have a look at the man it was named after, Samuel May. Samuel was born in Cornwall in 1847 and the next year the family migrated to South Australia, where his father worked in the copper mines at Burra. He started his apprenticeship as a blacksmith in 1862 and in 1874 he established a business in Mount Gambier, with James Millar - May and Millar - Iron founders and agricultural implement makers. They very quickly moved the business to Horsham, where it traded under the May and Millar name until 1910 when Samuel traded under his own name. Samuel was very civic minded - he was an inaugural Borough of Horsham Councillor, on the Hospital Committee, Fire brigade, Oddfellows Lodge, Justice of the Peace, amongst other activities. Samuel married Christina Eglinton in December 1870. Mrs May died at the age of 59 on November 7, 1909. Samuel died October 28, 1914 at the age of 67. They had six children. We know that Samuel had donated money to establish May Park and he also left £805 in his will to be distributed to charities and public bodies and the May Park Improvement Fund received £100 of this money. You can read more about the bequeaths in the Horsham Times of April 13, 1915. You can read Mrs May's obituary in the Horsham Times of November 9, 1909 and Mr May's obituary in the Horsham Times of October 30, 1914.

 May Park, Horsham (Rose Stereograph Co.)

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/4691

May Park was officially opened on November 6, 1920 by the Mayor of Horsham, after being open to the public for some years. The Mayor, Cr J. Bennett, gave a short history of the park. The local parliamentarian, Hon. A.S. Rogers, M.H.R reminisced He could remember the spot they were now on a waste piece of ground until it be came the inspiring idea of one of their townsmen, the late Mr. Samuel May, to transfer it into a healthful spot that would become an addition to the lung power of the town, and after his death the beneficiaries under his will endowed the borough handsomely to make this park one of the beauty spots not only of Horsham but of the Wimmera. Mr J. Morcom, President of the Horsham Progress Association, spoke about the work of the organization in the town and the beautifying of May Park and mentioned that Mr. Catani was brought here and the park was planted to his plans. (Horsham Times, November 9, 1920)

We will finish this post with a rather nice tribute the Horsham Times made to Carlo Catani - Mr. Catani, of the Department of Public Works, one of the enthusiasts in landscape gardening, and botany and park-outlaying, whose names are familiar where-ever artistic cultivation has proceeded in the Commonwealth, has been consulted by the Horsham Borough Council [to design May Park]' (Horsham Times, July 24, 1914)

Trove list
I have created  a list of newspaper articles on May Park on Trove, it can be accessed here. All the newspaper references listed here are on the list.