Carlo knows 'next to nothing' about flood damage on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp

The Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society has a series of letters from Mr Huntly Campbell Gordon of Five Mile (Koo Wee Rup North - one of Carlo's Village Settlements)  written from around 1911 to 1916. He was a prolific letter writer to the State Rivers & Water Supply Commission, his local MLA, Mr Keast and others. Mr Gordon kept copies of his letters and the replies and was on many local committees. For example, in 1911 he was writing on behalf on the Five Mile Progress Association and recorded the minutes of the Cora Lynn Progress Association, in 1913 he was writing on the flooded condition of the Five Mile School, in 1915 he recorded the minutes of the Koo Wee Rup Drainage Association and sent letters on their behalf. 

His correspondence reflects the reality of living on the Swamp as opposed to the theories that the drain works are sufficient and in this letter of November 21, 1913 he was very critical of Carlo Catani. This is a  rare criticism of Carlo.  

Five Mile
Koo Wee Rup
21st November 13

Farmers at Koo Wee Rup are taking exception to the remarks which Mr Catani is reported to have made concerning the damage done by the recent floods. Mr Catani said that the statements were greatly exaggerated, about the losses sustained. As a matter of fact, the Chief Engineer for Public Works knows next to nothing about the matter and the opinion is freely expressed that he is endeavouring to hide the imperfections of his own drainage scheme, by making light of the damage done.

It is ridiculous for Mr Catani to say that only 200 acres of potatoes were harmed, for four hundred would have been nearer the mark. Then oats, barley, wheat, carrots, peas , onions and fodder crops suffered and are still suffering through the soakage....

Mr Catani's remarks which Mr Gordon objected to were published in The Age on November 17, 1913.

The Age November 17, 1913

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7263758

The Age followed up with this report on November 22 -  obviously taken from Mr Gordon's letter.  

The Age  November 22, 1913

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196239430

The Catani potato

I grew up on a potato farm at Cora Lynn, the town next to Catani, so naturally the potato as a vegetable is close to my heart. There is, in fact, a potato variety named Catani. This is what I know about Catani the potato so far - it was developed by Roger Kirkham of the  Potato Research Station at Toolangi in 1986. It had trials at various locations throughout the State, including  the Chatfield farm at Catani, thus the name, so it is a potato that is born and bred in Victoria. The potato is grown mainly for chips i.e. French fries and the main (only?) growers of the variety on Koo Wee Rup swamp are the Chatfield family who supply a processing factory at Hallam who supply chips to fish and chips, catering companies, chips you would buy at the Footy etc. Carlo Catani has had many honours, but surely there could be no higher honour for a man or woman that to have a potato named after them!

This is the typical shape of  a Catani potato - a longish shape.  I have to tell you that the Catani variety is being planted now (December 2018) so the potato shown here has been in storage  for six to eight months - so it is not as perfect looking as it would be if it was newly dug. 

Catani seed crop in the Otways.

I am sure Carlo's heart would be filled with joy to see such a grand vista of a field of potatoes named after him.

Image: 2020 Seed Buyer's Guide published by Seed Potatoes Victoria www.spv.org.au

Here's some information about potatoes* -  Potatoes can be grown world wide, they are nutritious, relatively quick to grow and an effective use of land as 85 per cent of the potato plant is edible. Potatoes have been grown in the Andes for over 8000 years and came to Europe via the Spaniards in the 16th century and then spread throughout the world.  They have been grown on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp right from the time of settlement - the western end of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp was said to have produced 3000 tons of potatoes in 1894, just one year after the blocks were allocated to settlers, after the major drainage works. The importance of the potato to the economy of the Swamp was reflected in the Koo Wee Rup  Potato Festival, which ran from 1973 until 2000. 2008 was declared the Year of the Potato by the United Nations. 

 A composition of Catani potatoes.

*This information comes from a blog post I did for my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to Our Past - http://caseycardinialinkstoourpast.blogspot.com/2008/01/year-of-potato.html

Unveiling of the Catani family grave headstone

On Tuesday, December 11 2018 a head stone was unveiled on the grave of Carlo and Catherine Catani at the Brighton cemetery. Surprisingly for a man who had given so much to Victoria  the grave did not have a head stone, so a small working party was formed to remedy this and the result is this wonderful tribute to Carlo and his family. Around twenty five people attended the ceremony, including Greg, Nima and  their daughter Katherine Catani, who had come all the way from the United States. Greg is the great, grand nephew of Carlo Catani.

The unveiling was presided over by the Reverend Kathryn Watt, vicar of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Balaclava and Elwood. There were a number of guest speakers - Cr Dick Gross, Mayor of the City of Port Phillip; Jen Stone, President of the St Kilda Historical Society; Cr David Brand of the City of Port Phillip who is also an architect; Daniela (nee Volpe) Riachi who is the author of From Tuscany to Victoria: the life and work of Pietro Baracchi, Carlo Catani and Ettore Checchi (Italian Australian Institute, 2005) and Greg Catani who gave  a talk on behalf of the family.  I also did  a little talk. 

This is the elegant headstone designed by Isaac Hermann and created by North Eastern Memorials. The head stone was sponsored by donations from the City of Port Phillip, the St Kilda Historcal Society, the Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society and private donations. The bridge is Catani archway built in 1916 on the St Kilda foreshore and the palm trees are also a feature of the foreshore.

Reverend Kathryn Watt, of Holy Trinity Anglican Church Balaclava and Elwood, presided over the unveiling.  She did a lovely job and looked just like an angel, it was so special having her at the unveiling. Carlo and Catherine used to worship at the Anglican Church so it was a wonderful connection.  The headstone was covered by a black cloth and had a blue ribbon tied around it, which is draped over Kathryn's arm in this photo - the blue ribbon was in honour of Carlo's signature look - his 'sac suit of navy serge', you can read about this here. 

Left to right - Nima, Katherine and Greg Catani, Daniela Riachi, Isaac Hermann and Reverend  Kathryn Watt. 

Greg did the unveiling, but my photos of that were really ordinary, so I can't show you that. Isaac was the driving force behind this whole project and he should be commended and admired for all the work he put into honouring the Catani family by erecting a headstone on the grave. Isaac was helped and encouraged in this project, by many people, but especially Lois Comeadow, of the Brighton Cemetorians.  It was a lovely occasion and, as Carlo and Catherine have no living descendants, it was just wonderful that Greg, Nima and Katherine could be there. 

Carlo and the Victorian Government Gazette

One of my favourite sources of information is the Victoria Government Gazette. The Gazette and its predecessors are digitised for the years 1836 to 1997 and are available on-line here  http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/    The Gazette covers all official notifications of Government and Legal activities and was the main way that the Government communicated with the public. If a person had applied for a patent, been appointed or dismissed from a Government position,  been granted a miners right, become insolvent, been granted land, applied to register a trade mark, became a Cemetery Trustee, been appointed a registrar of births and deaths amongst other activities then you could find them listed in the Gazette. You will also find information about places such as when the town, cemetery, school or church site was officially established  or 'gazetted', local government information, information about Council tenders, lists of animals impounded at the local pound - the list goes on. 

Here are occasions that Carlo appeared in the Victoria Government Gazette - 

Granted certificate of competency as as Land Surveyor

Victoria Government Gazette February 6, 1880, p. 302.

Licensed to practise as a Surveyor

Victoria Government Gazette July 3, 1885, p. 1881.

Appointed Engineer for Roads, Bridges, Harbors, Jetties and Coast works. 

Victoria Government Gazette  November 25,  1892, p. 4340.

Appointed to a Land Classification Board for Village Settlement purposes

Victoria Government Gazette September 10, 1902, p. 3721

Appointed to a Land Classification Board

Victoria Government Gazette  May 18, 1910, p. 2429.

Appointed a Magistrate

Victoria Government Gazette August 12, 1914, p. 3558. 

Alexandra Avenue

In  July 1891 Melbourne suffered a major flood, when the Yarra River burst its banks and flooded surrounding areas. Later in the 1890s, plans were developed to straighten out the Yarra River to help reduce this flooding.  Carlo Catani prepared the plans and the entire project was carried out under his direction and supervision.  The work included the widening of the Yarra to the 300 feet as recommended by the Flood Board of Inquiry in 1892, but from Princes Bridge to the Cremorne Railway bridge, and diverting the course of the river to remove a sharp bend. 

On July 24, 1896 Carlo Catani wrote this letter to the Inspector of General Public Works, Davidson about the proposed Yarra River works -
The question is a complex one, as it involves, besides reducing the flood level, the other equally important one of improving and straightening the bed of the Yarra for navigation and recreation purposes, and also that very important factor of forming a beautiful promenade, worthy of Melbourne, on the bank of the river, where all classes could meet.*

These were the proposed works which included removing a sharp bend and widening the river.

State Library of Victoria - click on this link to see a higher resolution image of this map http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/114207

By 1897 according to a report in The Australasian of November 13, 1897 the Avenue beside the Yarra was under construction (read the full report here)
On the south bank a boulevard is in course of formation. It is so far advanced that a steam roller is now consolidating the metal between the five lines of deciduous trees. These trees define the various avenues. The avenue, 25ft wide, next the river bank is for pedestrians; next there is a bicycle track, also 25ft wide; then a carriage way 68ft  wide; and finally a track for equestrians 33ft wide. The equestrian track was covered with tan.

Did Melbourne succeed in fulfilling Carlo's hopes of having a a beautiful promenade, worthy of Melbourne, on the bank of the river?  We will turn to The Argus of November 13, 1937 to see what they had to say on the matter. On that day the newspaper had  a feature on 'Great thoroughfares of the World' written by L.R. McLennan. You can read the full article here but here is an excerpt

Paris may boast of its Champs Elysees, Berlin of its Tiergarten and its Unter den Linden, London of its Rotton Row and Rio de Janeiro of its spacious paved thoroughfares. Melbourne, a city scarcely past its century, has in St. Kilda road and Alexandra avenue two glorious thoroughfares, which, even the most seasoned of travellers admits, would grace any of the great cities of other lands. Visitors to Melbourne have called these two outlets 'the most beautiful in the world'. 
There are many famous riverside drives oversea, but in the opinion of architectural and civic leaders in Melbourne there are few to compare with Alexandra avenue....... Alexandra avenue, whose shadowed and dappled beauty ....must stand, while the City of Melbourne endures, as a lasting monument to the genius, foresight, and pertinacity of Carlo Catani. It is to Catani, great planner for the future, a former engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department of Victoria at a period when the city was stepping from its swaddling clothes, more than to anyone else, that the residents of Melbourne owe this sweeping boulevard of almost Elysian beauty which is now in the green prime of the springtime.

Clearly, Carlo's hopes for the beautiful promenade were realised.

The Avenue was officially opened by the Duke of Cornwall and York on May 17, 1901. The main purpose of the visit of the Duke and Duchess, who  would later become King George V and Queen Mary, was to open the first Commonwealth Parliament on May 9  at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne. The Avenue was named after his mother, Queen Alexandra (I have included a short family tree of the Royal family at the end of this post) 

The State Library of Victoria has a number of photos of Alexandra Avenue - here are  a few -

Melbourne - Alexandra Avenue showing new cut for straightening the Yarra River and later the new course of the river

State Library of Victoria Image H347

Alexandra Avenue. the postcard was sent in 1906. On the right is the Temple of the Winds, designed and erected in 1901 by William Robert Guilfoyle to honour Charles Latrobe, first Governor of Victoria,  who selected the site of the Royal Botanic Gardens.  

State Library of Victoria Image H85.70/112

Alexandra Avenue. c. 1935.

State Library of Victoria Image H2000.222/20

Alexandra Avenue (Rose Series postcard)

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/1603

For those that are interested here is a short family tree of the Royal Family - Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901) - succeeded by Edward VII (1841 - 1910) who had married Princess Alexandra of Denmark (the namesake of Alexandra Parade). He was succeeded by George V (1865 - 1936), who had married Princess Mary of Teck. Their second son became George VI (1895 - 1952), who is the father of the present Queen (born in 1926).

*Catani’s letter to Inspector General of Public Works, Davidson - 24 July 1896, notes from the Alan Holgate Collection provided by Don Bartlett – VPRS 1139 Unit 2 - courtesy of Isaac Hermann.

Carlo's patriotism is called into question

Did Carlo experience any discrimination due to his Italian background?  His Italian birth didn't seem to have any negative effect on his career and it does appear that he was well liked by many Victorians, who viewed him with much affection and respect. But I did come across this article where an 'unpleasant incident' occurred and his patriotism during the First World War was called into question at a public meeting, which seemed a bit ironic as Italy was on 'our' side during the War.

This article is from The Age of July 26, 1916. You can read the full article here

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155161971

AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT
Addressing a meeting of about 200 public servants outside the Government Printing Office yesterday, Mr J. W. Billson, M.L.A., member of the State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, made an earnest appeal for co-operation and assistance in the flotation of the new war loan. Mr W. Cattanach, chairman of the State Rivers and Walter Supply Commission, presided. The meeting was marked by an unpleasant incident, in which the central figures were Mr C. Catani, Chief Engineer, and Mr. Kerrigan, an official in the Treasury department. At the conclusion of Mr. Billson's speech, the chairman asked those present if they desired any information regarding the loan.
Mr Kerrigan: Yes, I want to ask a question. Do you think the stoppage of increments* by the Victorian Government is likely to increase the sale of bonds  (Cries of 'Don't answer him' and uproar, in which a voice was heard, 'Put him out.')
Mr Kerrigan (moving towards the crowd): Who said 'Put him out'? Who said 'Put him out'?
Mr C. Catani (stepping forward): 'I said 'Put him out!'
Mr Kerrigan: Oh, you, you're a foreigner. (Uproar)
Mr Catani: I am not a foreigner. I have a son fighting for us. He's over in France now - fighting for you and me. You are a cur!
Mr Catani's voice was scarcely audible above the uproar. Several of those present assumed a threatening attitude towards Mr Kerrigan, and one gentleman planted himself in front of that official in the 'shaping-up' attitude. For a moment it seemed as if the advice of Mr. Catani was to be put into practical effect, but the chairman called the attention of the meeting  back to the speaker, and the incident passed off. Mr. Billson said he refused to answer a question which he considered invaded political ground. 'I ask you to help us to beat the Germans,' he added, 'and then you can fight your own battles and divide the spoils'.

This is a precis of the rest of the article -  Mr. Billson, in the course of his remarks, went onto to say that provision needed to be made for the payment of 300,000 troops abroad  and the pensions of the dependants of those who had been killed, they also had to provide ammunition and equipment and this was at a cost of one million pounds per week, plus the normal expenditure for the government which meant 1,500,000 pounds was needed per week.....To do that he was appealing to them to do their utmost, according to their means, to help in the flotation of the new war loan. ......The war loan was a good investment, and they could not get a better. He appealed to them with confidence to help the Federal Government to make the flotation of the loan a success. A resolution was then put by the chairman that the meeting support in every manner possible the flotation of the war loan, and this was carried with enthusiasm.
.
Mr J. W. Billson was John William Billson (1862 - 1924), Member for Fitzroy and at one time Deputy Leader of the Labour Party- read about him here in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.
Mr W. Cattanach was William Cattanach (1863 - 1932) who was appointed to the newly created State Rivers & Water Supply Commission in 1906 and became Chairman in 1915. You can read more about him in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here.
I don't know anything else about Mr Kerrigan.

*An announcement made in June 1916  that Public Servants over and above a certain Grade (earning £336 per annum) would not receive their normal increments such as the yearly increases they receive whilst advancing through their class or grade and their end of band payments. Read about it here - perhaps Mr Kerrigan was one of those who would miss out on this increment.

Carlo and Catherine Hanley are married by the Reverend Nathaniel Kinsman

On May 18, 1886 Carlo married Catherine Hanley. They were married by the rites of the Free Church of England at Moor Street, Fitzroy by the Reverend Nathaniel Kinsman.  Their address on the marriage certificate was listed as Marney Street, Fitzroy. I believe that this is actually Mahoney Street which can be pronounced as Marney as I cannot find a Marney Street in any old street directory in Fitzroy and this is confirmed as when their first child, Edward, was born a few weeks later on June 2, 1886 their address was  Florence Cottage, Mahoney Street, Fitzroy. The marriage certificate tells us the usual information - Carlo  was 33 and Catherine was 26; he was an engineer, Catherine's occupation was the all purpose 'lady'; his parents are listed as Enrico and Augusta (nee Geri) Catani and Catherine's folks are listed as John and Anne Hanley - John was a farmer. I can't read Anne's maiden name on the marriage certificate (see below). Carlo had been born in Florence and Catherine has her place of birth as Belfast, Victoria, the original name for Port Fairy.

 

From the Marriage certificate of Carlo and Catherine

So far so good, however I am not sure that I believe the Catherine Hanley story - was that her true name? We can't find her index to her birth, I can find no other children born to a John and Ann(e) Hanley born in Victoria, neither can I find the death of  person in Victoria with John Hanley as the father and Ann(e) as the mother; I can find no Hanleys born in the Port Fairy area between 1850 and 1870. There is evidence that the Hanleys were in the area in the 1910s, for instance Edward Hanley took up the proprietorship of the Port Fairy Gazette, sometime after 1902 according to the obituary of his wife, Ethel, which you can read here.

I also can't find a death of a John or Ann(e) Hanley with a Port Fairy connection, I bought the death certificate of the Anne Hanley who died in 1879 and that was not her - she only been in the country for three months and she did have  a daughter Catherine, who was 40 years old, around 20 years older than Catherine Hanley who was born, according to the marriage certificate around 1860. Neither can I find the record  of a marriage of a John Hanley to an Ann(e).  I have also checked Ancestry database and cannot find any matching records.

From the Marriage certificate of Carlo and Catherine - showing the Reverend Kinsman signature

So, clearly lack of corroborating evidence is not normally enough to convince me that Catherine's information of her marriage certificate may have been untrue, so I thought I would see if the witnesses to the wedding gave us any clue to her identity - they were Lydia Kinsman and Maria Lancaster. Lydia was the wife of the minister, Nathaniel Kinsman.  She died in 1905 at the age of 80 (thus born around 1825) and the Index to Victorian Deaths has her parents listed as Jonathan Leeming and Ruth Lancaster, so I presume that Lydia and Maria were cousins or some other relation.  Kinsman's obituary said that he married in 1845 and they had no children. Either way, this seemed to indicate that they, the witnesses, were not connected to Catherine Hanley, genealogically wise, so that was a dead end. Then I put Nathaniel Kinsman name into Trove and is he a true treasure trove of surprises.

The Weekly Times March 5, 1898

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/221138558

It turns our that the Reverend Kinsman founded his own church, the Free Church of England, and celebrated close to 10,000 marriages, including that of Carlo and Catherine. Here is an excerpt from his obituary published in The Weekly Times, March 5 1898 - read it here

Mr Kinsman founded the Victorian Free Church of England in 1862, taking as the nucleus of the new establishment a portion of the congregation, of St Mark's Church, Fitzroy. It was he who drew up the 'principles' of the new church, and he always entertained a conspicuous pride in them. Indeed, it was his constant habit on Sundays to stand at the door of his little church in Abbotsford street, Fitzroy, and regard them with affectionate interest. Anyone who has read the invariable procedure of new churches will recognise, as a matter of course,  that Mr Kinsman, the moving  spirit in the secession, naturally dropped into the position of head minister for life. In that capacity he was recognised by the State, and he was authorised not only to celebrate marriages himself, but to recommend others for similar privileges. These two powers exercised a notable effect upon his after career. The first laid the foundation of his stupendous marriage business. The second involved him in disputes which more than once threatened the disruption of the church and the consequent stoppage of the cheapest and easiest method of tying the nuptial knot ever known in Victoria Felix.

It goes on to say that Kinsman also operated a second hand furniture business and auction rooms The auctioneer walked out of his shop into his private parlor and by the simple act of crossing the mat was transformed  into the priest. The couples, mostly extremely young, and sometimes extremely old, seated themselves on the  well worn sofa, sanctified by so many  thousands of similar union, and the whole thing was over in a very few  minutes. The parson went back to his shop, and the happy couple departed to realise the meaning of 'Till death us do part'

It is an undoubted fact that many fortunate marriages have been conducted by Mr Kinsman. It  is also a fact equally undoubted that the proportion of divorces and other disagreeable proceedings consequent upon these Fitzroy unions is very large. How did Mr Kinsman work up this enormous business, and why, in spite of the stigma which attached to marriages celebrated by him  did couples come from all parts of the colony for the express purpose of being  united in Mr Kinsman's little front parlor. To use the words of a member of his congregation 'Because he charged small fees, and asked no unnecessary questions'. 

The Reverend Nathaniel Kinsman, c. 1880. 

Photographer: William B. Latimer.

https://www.portrait.gov.au/people/nathaniel-kinsman-1823

It is this last sentence 'asked no unnecessary questions' that I believe strengthens my case that Catherine Hanley  did not give the the correct information - was she hiding something? I wondered if she had been married before and divorced (or married and not divorced). Alternatively, she may have honestly believed that John and Ann were her parents, that she had been born in Port Fairy as that is what she had been told by them or whoever raised her. My other thought is that she was born illegitimately and may have been raised by members of the Hanley family.  However, why then would they need to be married by the Reverend Kinsman - Carlo was in  a good and respectable job, so money wasn't the issue. Why did they only get married two weeks before the birth of their first child, that's why I wonder if she wasn't already married and waiting for the divorce. Or maybe they were just the original Fitzroy hipsters who had decided that marriage was just a piece of paper and that love was all they needed, but, all of  a sudden two weeks before the baby was born, a cloud of conventionality descended upon them and they decided to go down the marriage aisle after all. Who knows? And yes, I know that none of this matters now or that it in any way diminishes Carlo's career or the family life he shared with Catherine and their children, so if you think my theory that Catherine Hanley provided false information on her marriage certificate, either deliberately or innocently, is  rubbish then I will be happy to be proven wrong!

If you are interested in the Reverend Nathaniel Kinsman I have created a list of newspaper articles on him and some of his marriages that ended with bigamy charges on Trove, click here to access the list.