G.W. Cooper - Alexandra Gardens curator and gardening expert

Carlo Catani designed the Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne. G. W. Cooper quoted an acquaintance of his who had just returned from a world tour who described the Alexandra Avenue area as the finest example of city beautification he had seen in his travels. Carlo, however, cannot take all the credit for these gardens, much of it is due to his colleague, G.W. Cooper, who was the curator.

It is not surprising that George William Cooper  had a career in landscape design and floriculture - his father, also called George, was the foreman of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. George, Junior, was the eldest child of George and Mary Ellen (nee Cox) Cooper and was born in 1880 in Prahran. George and Mary had eleven children - George, Reg, Elsie, Ada, Norman, Marion, Beryl, Dolly, Nerine, Harold and Allan. George Senior died in 1947, aged 89 and Mary died in 1933, aged 76.

The very informative death  notice of George Cooper, Senior, who passed away September 1, 1947.

The Argus September 2, 1947 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22504623

An article in Labassa Lives, published by the National Trust of Victoria in 2015, has an interesting article on George Cooper, Senior, and his career. George Senior, started his working life at Labassa (originally called Ontario) and in 1900 moved to the Botanic Gardens where he worked under William Guilfoyle. In 1909, George Senior, laid out Dame Nellie Melba's garden at Coombe Cottage, and it is thought that young George also worked there. When  George Junior, moved from his position at the Alexandra Gardens in 1917 to Sydney, his father at the age of 60 took over his position and remained there until his retirement in 1928, aged 70. (Read the full article, here)

Let's have a look at George's career (from now on, when I say George, I am referring to George Junior) The Sydney Morning Herald  of  March 6, 1930  had a short retrospective of his working life  Mr Cooper commenced work at 12 years of age and was with his father for eight years in private gardening in Melbourne. This brings us to 1900 and we then find out what George did next, as the article goes on to say that For 17 years previously he was associated with the late Mr C Catani chief engineer of the Public Works Department Melbourne in the beautification of Alexandra avenue and gardens on the southern banks of the Yarra. 

Here's another short look at George's life from The Bulletin, December 5, 1918 - He was born in Melbourne and his father and grandfather were professional gardeners. At twelve he started with the drudgery of being handy boy in training under his father. At 12, he got the job of Assistant-landscape gardener to help carry out the work which has made Alexandra Gardens and Avenue (Melbourne) so often quoted as instances as what can be achieved when Art picks up a spade. His chief, the late Carlo Catani, who taught and showed the way for 17 years, was a noted landscape gardener to whom Melbourne owes much of its decorative Melbourne lawns and shrubs. 

In my post on the Alexandra Gardens I quoted an  article from the Leader of May 4, 1912 which,  inter alia, described George 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.

In 1917, George finished up in Melbourne and moved to Sydney to be the Superintendent of Parks for Sydney City Council. The position attracted 54 applicants and he was the successful candidate. In fact, a journalist in The Age in a 1929 interview with George directly links his time working with Carlo to his successful application 
It is primarily to Mr. Cooper's artistry as a landscape gardener that the enchanting ensemble of flower-bordered lawns and spreading trees, that make the Alexandra-avenue and gardens one of Melbourne's most picturesque embellishments is due, and incidentally led to covetous eyes being cast on him by the civic authorities of Sydney.  (The Age February 1, 1929)

1917, the year George moved to Sydney, was also the year that Carlo Catani retired from the Public Works Department.  Carlo retired on April 28 and George resigned in the May. Were these two departures linked?  The Argus of May 17, 1917 had something to say about this double loss as they called it  - For over 16 years Mr. Cooper, though working in one positions continuously, has been kept on the temporary staff, and on that account has lost the rights to increments and holidays which permanent men enjoy. His salary has only once been raised, and that was when he was offered
a position at Port Darwin, but was tempted to stay here by an increase of £26 a year.

Since the end of last year he has had full control of Alexandra Avenue, as well as of the gardens, and for this extra duty he received an additional £26 a year, paid to him by the Alexandra Gardens Committee (not the State departments), although it rendered possible the saving of £182 a year to a foreman. For 14 years Mr. Cooper, jun., though he has proved his value as a landscape gardener, has had no increase in his salary. It is not surprising that the Sydney City Council has been able to tempt him from the beauty spot he created and loved.

Clearly, the powers to be in Melbourne did not appreciate George, however other Melburnians did and there were two letters published the next day, extolling George's virtues and criticising the bureaucracy that did not appreciate his true worth.

Letter to the Editor regarding the resignation of  G. W. Cooper.
The Argus, May 18 1917  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1618744?#

One of George's first projects in Sydney, in Hyde Park was planting 2,000 dahlias.  The following year he recommended the removal of a large number of Moreton Bay fig trees in the park,  and replacing them with ornamental Australian trees. Sydney felt the loss of each Moreton Bay fig tree more than the death of a Cabinet minister, but today, Sydney is congratulating itself on having discovered a gardening genius in Melbourne. (The Herald, December 29, 1921)

One of George's innovations in Sydney, that he thought Melbourne should emulate,  was the introduction of playgrounds into parks. The Sydney City Council had given particular attention to providing children's playgrounds,which it had supplied with gymnasiums,swings and sliding planes, and kindergartens which parents could leave small children for the day (The Age, January 10, 1923) The kindergarten idea seems amazingly progressive for the time and I have never heard of a slide being referred to as a 'sliding plane' 

Another idea that George was keen on was a floral clock. Sir Arthur Rickard had donated  a floral clock to Tooronga Park in Sydney, which was only the third one in the World and George thought Melbourne should have one also. There is quite a long description of this clock in The Age of February 1, 1929. The paper had conducted an interview with him and also told us that George was staying with his parents who lived in Deakin Street, St Kilda. The article had the gushy headlines - Australia's Garden City. Melbourne still unrivalled. Former Curator's Eulogy.  You can read this, here.

G. W. Cooper

Sydney Morning Herald March 6, 1930. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16631301

Back in 1911, Carlo Catani had imported 50 varieties of Japanese Iris and planted them in front of the head gardeners residence in the Alexandra Gardens.  George also had an interest in the flower as he introduced the Japanese Iris into Sydney -  The Herald of December 29, 1921 - reported Melburnians who admire yearly the Japanese iris in Alexandra gardens will regret to hear that Sydney now possesses the finest bed of iris in the Commonwealth. We have to take second place, apparently. Among Mr Cooper's Plants in Sydney is the only yellow Japanese iris outside Japan, entrusted to him by the Japanese nobleman who raised it.  

By the use of a 750 candle power electric light in the centre of the iris bed, Mr Cooper had his plants in bloom in the late winter and early spring, while the plants on the outside of the bed were just beginning to grow. The effect of the light was really that the iris flowered 12 weeks before its normal time. 

The Labassa Lives article on the George, Senior, I referred to before,  said that when he  took over his son's role at the Alexandra Gardens in 1917 this allowed him to pursue his love of  flowers, particularly his specialty in breeding new strains of Japanese Iris. In 1919, George planted 2000 of these Irises in a single bed.  Which begs the question, was the Cooper's love of the Japanese Iris inspired by Carlo or did they inspire him to import the 50 varieties in 1911?

George, had in common with Carlo, a high public profile - from around 1927 to 1930 Mr Cooper broadcast interesting talks on gardening from station 2BL, and in the first year he answered 2000 letters. (Sydney Morning Herald, March 6 1930) 

How George would spend some of a million pounds, if he was given it.

Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial, August 28, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/27082240

In 1927, the Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial asked George the following question -  What would I do with a million? Firstly, George said he would provide for his parents for the rest of their days; secondly that he  would provide the Blind Institute with a new building well outside the hurly burly of the City.  But to business. My late chief in Melbourne, the late Signor Catani, Chief Engineer of the Victorian Works Department, should have a monument erected to him. And I would pay for it out of the million, for all the hopes and ideals I have for the beautification of Sydney were really inspired by his splendid work for Melbourne. 

The immense influence of landscape gardening on the civic conscience is — I say this frankly — not realised in New South Wales as it is in Victoria. That is why I would spend another piece of my million in awarding prizes for teachers in Public schools and technical colleges who would devote some of their energy to teaching landscape gardening and the care and welfare of trees and gardens. Then a generation would soon arrive who would have a clear idea of the importance of the subject.

The rest of my million I would spend on making a beautiful drive, tree-bordered every inch of the way from Sydney to La Perouse. By that time my donor would realise that I wanted more millions. With my next million I would buy up all the foreshores of Sydney Harbor, and make a fine drive for the thousands of people who only know the beauty of their harbor from ferry-boats. With my next million I would beautify Bondi and Coogee Beaches in such a way that they outdo the St. Kilda Beach, in Mel-

bourne. All these things, of course, should have been done long ago - but it's never too late, provided the "Sunday Pictorial's" mad millionaire turns up with the cash. (Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial, August 28, 1927). 

In 1930, at the age of 49, George retired from the Sydney City Council to go into 'private business'. His media career continued as for a few years from 1932 he had a regular column in Smith's Weekly - the paper announced their new columnist The news that Mr. G. W. Cooper was to contribute weekly articles on gardening has been received with enthusiasm, and already his offer to help solve individual gardening problems has been accepted by a large number of readers. (Smith's Weekly, May 28 1932)

In the 1930s, George was also giving talks, exhibiting dahlias at flower shows and also acting as a judge at flower shows. In the 1940s he had a regular gardening show on Radio 2FC at 8.45 on Sunday mornings, in fact a report in the Singleton Argus of February 18, 1942 said that Mr. Cooper holds the record for continuous broadcasting for the Commission, having served at the microphone for 15 years and four months.

Up to the mid 1950s there are articles in the paper about his involvement with the Town Planning Association of New South Wales. George was quoted at length in the Sydney Morning Herald on March 20, 1952 on the subject of the proposed memorial to King George VI -
A former council parks superintendent, Mr. G. W. Cooper, said the council was building the sunken gardens as a monument to King George VI. Addressing the association, Mr. Cooper said: "The idea is a complete farce, and people from other States will laugh their heads off at it."
"Our late King deserves a better monument than that useless monstrosity," he said. "Men building the garden have struck solid shale, and the cost of the garden has jumped from £5,000 to £10,000. A rose pagoda is supposed to grow in the shale, but it will be a complete failure. Roses won't grow in that kind of setting."
"The amateur gardeners among the council aldermen are trying to run the gardens against the advice of council experts. The whole sunken garden scheme is a tragic waste of public money."

Clearly, he was unhappy with the proposal on both practical and aesthetic grounds.

We have looked at George's professional life - this is what I know about his personal life. He was married to Ellen Tirtschke on December 19, 1908. They had a son Lindsay George, born in 1911, but I don't know of any other children.  George died on September 28, 1967. I know two things about Lindsay - according to a newspaper report, he broke his leg in 1925, when he fell off his bicycle and the same report said he was employed in the Librarian's Department, City Council. The second thing I know about his was this -  Before Mr. Atkinson, S.M., at the Kogarah Police Court yesterday, George Lindsay Cooper, 25, librarian, was fined £15, in default 30 days imprisonment, for taking bets in his library shop in The Arcade, Arncliffe. An application for time to pay the fine was refused. (Illawarra Mercury, February 7, 1936) I have to say, that as a Librarian, I find that pretty funny - perhaps other Librarians could diversify into a bookmaker activities as a sideline.

Marriage announcement of  George Cooper and Ellen Tirtscheke, 

which took place December 19, 1908.
The Argus January 2, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10697965

Sources:

I have created a list of articles on Trove on G.W. Cooper and his career and the Alexandra Gardens. Access the list here. All the articles I have quoted here, are on the list. 

Labassa Lives, v.3, issue 2 2015. Cooper and son: Ontario's gardeners  National Trust of Victoria.

I believe I have the correct death  date for Mr Cooper - I  got it from - Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney; Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Baptism, Burial, Confirmation, Marriage and composite registers in the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Archives on Ancestry. 

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

.............................................................................................

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's house is removed for rail duplication

Even being the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department could not protect Carlo's home in Elm Street in Armadale from being removed to make make for some public works - in this case the duplication of the railway line between South Yarra and Caulfield, from December 1911 to December 1915. I have written more about this project, here. 

The family had been at Glenluce, 4 Elm Grove, Armadale since at least 1899, as their last child, Enid, was born at the property. After Glenluce was removed, they moved for a very short time to Orrong Road in Elsternwick and then to Wyndham, 39 Blessington Street in St Kilda. I wonder where Glenluce ended up?

 

Birth  notice of Enid in The Argus of November 18, 1899. 

Interesting that they have the address as Toorak and not Armadale. Did the boundaries change between 1899 and 1912 or, as the property is very close to the Toorak Station (which is actually in Armadale), was the area was locally known as Toorak? Or did Carlo and Catherine think Toorak sounded posher than Armadale?

The removal of Carlo's house in Elm Grove, in May 1912.

The Australasian May 11, 1912 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article143331306

This is  the text from the article - 

CAULFIELD RAILWAY.

Since the work of duplicating the railway line between South Yarra and Caulfield was commenced there has been a good deal of speculation as to which properties would be affected. In one case two fine Queen Anne villas nestled in extensive grounds which abutted on the railway boundary have to be shorn of some of their beauties. From rose gardens and lawns in front a strip of 40ft. has been cut off, leaving the residences within a few feet of a narrow pathway, the charm and value of situation having vanished for ever. No compensation was at first offered. The owners, however, intend leaving no stone unturned to maintain what they claim to be their rights. In the majority of cases the compensation suggested would seem to be about one-third of the value set upon land by owners: in only very few instances have the ideas of both parties to the transaction coincided.

Property-owners contend, and with some reason, that the circumstances are entirely different from those where a new line of railway is being constructed, with an immense consequent improvement in values. In connection with the duplication work, it is claimed that the effect on property will be scarcely perceptible.

From Caulfield to Malvern stations no resumption will be necessary, as the line runs between the Dandenong and Normanby roads, with room for extension on both sides. (The Australasian, May 11 1912. See this article and seven other photos on Trove, here.)

Carlo shows support for women in the country

I came across this lovely quote from Carlo when I was researching his work in the town of Licola. The settlers were asking for bridges across the Macalister and Barkly Rivers.

It was not right, he added, to keep women in this back country unless they had proper road communication. The woman had to bear children. She was doctor, mother, teacher, everything, in this part of the world, and for her sake alone  it was the duty of Governments to provide roads to enable her to get in and out. She was entitled to the same rights and privileges as the ordinary civilised being. These she could not have without decent means of communication.   This is from the Weekly Times  of June 1 1912.

Carlo shows great insight into the isolated life of women in the country. In spite of Carlo's impassioned plea on behalf of the women of Licola the two bridges were slow in coming. I believe the bridge over the Macalister was put out to tender around May 1913 and it was opened by January 1915, but I don't have the exact date. The good people of Licola had to wait substantially longer for the bridge over the Barkly River - this wasn't officially opened until January 1931! The report in The Age of January 31, 1931 said that the bridge had been the subject of many years' agitation by settlers in the outback country.... Mrs Sweetapple  a resident of more than 50 years, cut the ribbon and declared the  bridge open.

The delightfully named Mrs Sweetapple was born Wilhemina Catherine Sweetapple - she was married in 1880 to Charles Henry Sweetapple, so I presume he was her cousin as they had the same surname. Charles Henry died November 24, 1918. They had twin boys Charles William and Henry (Harry) James, born 1883. Harry died in 1938 and Charles died in 1962. Wilhemina died January 18, 1939. The obituary in The Argus lists her age as 78, but she was actually born in November 1856, so she was 82.

It was fitting  that a woman opened the bridge as Mrs Sweetapple had lived at Licola since her marriage and had raised her sons there and in those days in that remote location she would have been  doctor, mother, teacher, everything, in this part of the world, to her children as Carlo so thoughtfully and eloquently stated.

I have created a short list of articles on Trove about the bridges at Licola, you can access it here. The articles provide my evidence for the date of the opening of the Macalister and Barkly bridges.

Rocky siding & Macalister River, Licola Road. N. Gippsland, c. 1913.

 Photographer: Arthur John Waugh. 

This would be the condition of the road when Carlo visited the town in 1912 and I am sure Mrs Sweetapple would have been familiar with this rocky road.

 State Library of Victoria Image H83.125/43

You can see the original image, which is '2 photographic prints on stereo cards' on the State Library of Victoria website here http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/361613

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.

Carlo and the Bennett’s Stump Puller

A successful trial of the Bennett stump-puller was held last week at the Bunyip village settlement. It was arranged between Mr. Catani, C.E., of the Public Works department, and Messrs. J. Davies and Co. that a three days' test trial take place with a view of letting the settlers see the advantage of the stump-puller to clear the scrub. The objection against the old method was that it took a long time to clear, it being so heavily timbered, also that if any, of the root fibres were left in the ground they, would grow again. The puller was started at the back of Mr. Leithhead's store, in the presence of a great many settlers. The stumps were pulled clean out of the ground without grubbing. Some of the holes caused by pulling up the stumps were eight feet by four feet deep, thus showing the quantity of root fibres. The settlers were greatly pleased with the work done. The Government intend hiring the puller out to them at a very cheap rental, and the men who worked the puller at the trial put their names first on the list tor the use of the machine. Last Friday the Minister for Lands visited the settlement, and was greatly pleased with the puller. A couple of men can work it easily. The Government, we understand, intend ordering several of these machines.  (The Australasian February 3, 1894) 

A further report in The Age of the same day said that Mr Catani had accompanied the Minister for Lands, Mr M’Intyre and Mr Callinan, the chief surveyor on the visit. They had arrived by train to Bunyip where they then transferred to a very primitive but serviceable tram car which was drawn by a reinless horse over a tram line built by the settlers, with timber provided by the Government at the small cost of about £50 per mile. The car was loaded with bags of flour, boxes of provisions and eight passengers; and although the progress made was slow, it was safe and sure. At the end of a mile and a half we came to a locality known as the Bunyip Junction. It was at Bunyip Junction [at the Junction bridge] behind Mr Leithhead’s store that the Bennett’s Stump puller was demonstrated.

Advertisement for Bennett's Stump Puller

The Australasian November 18, 1893

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/138110589?

The Bennett’s Stump puller which had clearly caught the eye of Carlo Catani, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department,  had been advertised in Melbourne papers since late December 1892. It had been imported by John Davies & Co., Franklin Street, Melbourne.The first demonstration was carried out at Mr William’s orchard at Doncaster, here the puller was put on its trial and it extracted 20 stumps with the ease of a dentist drawing teeth with the aid of electricity. One of the stumps was 3ft 6in diameter, but as some of the party thought that a pull at a green stump would give more satisfactory results, a growing tree was cut down. The stump was double-rooted, but, nevertheless, It came up, when it was found that the sap root measured 10in, in diameter. Everybody was highly pleased with this test.(The Herald, December 2, 1892) It was later exhibited at Glen Farm in Clyde, the property owned by Mr Wadey.

John Davies & Co. displayed the machine at the Melbourne Agricultural Show in 1893 and The Argus of September 1, 1893 had this to say about how the machine was advertised -  The notice erected around it that one man can lift 20 tons attracts a great deal of notice, but such is the fact. They have a large piece of cast iron weighing 1½ tons suspended from the puller, and the smallest child can lift it. During the visit of His Excellency the Governor to the show he was shown the puller and was greatly pleased with it, and tried for himself the power of it. Five pounds weight on the lever will lift a ton.

Bennett's Stump Puller

The Leader, December 10 1892.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196893111?

How did the machine work? This description in The Leader of February 3, 1894 attempts at an explanation -  This appliance is in the form of an ordinary sledge, the two cross bars underneath being shod with a steel plate set to enter the ground like the edge of a plough share. The sledge being drawn forward acts upon the scrub and roots by means of the steel shoes. One of the selling points was that the  whole machine could be moved by one horse. The machine has been invented in the United States by Harwell L. Bennett and Russell B. Adams of Westerville,  Ohio and it was granted a U.S patent on February 27, 1894. Read the Patent application and see the original specifications, here. There is a photo of Bennett's manufacturing plant on a tour of Westerville's Industrial area, here.

I don’t know how Carlo got onto the Bennett’s Stump Puller but he was an innovative man and was obviously interested in machines that would make the work quicker, easier and more efficient. It was this same reason that he imported the Lubecker Steam bucket dredge to the Swamp in 1913.

If you are interested - John Davies, who imported the Bennett's Stump Puller, died on July 9,  1926, He was also an engineer and had worked on the construction of Princes Bridge. This is part of his obituary from the Emerald Hill Record, July 10 1926 -   Mr. Davies resided in Harold street, Middle Park, and was a close observer of the advancement of this municipality. He was a strong supporter of the  policy of teaching boys trades, and his enthusiasm for this important contribution to national development led tn his appointment to the council of the local technical school in October, 1919 (read full obituary, here  It is more than possible that Carlo and John Davies knew each other as they were both engineers and that is how the Bennett's Stump Puller came to Carlo's attention. Or perhaps Carlo had just read the reports in the paper of the wonderful Bennett's Stump Puller and decided to give it a trial.

I have created a list of articles from Trove, about the Bennett's Stump Puller. You can access it here.

Via Catani Boulevard - 'pretentious' or 'one of the finest ever seen'?

Via Catani was the name given, at one time, for The Boulevard which runs between Heidelberg and Ivanhoe. It was, of course, named in honour of Carlo, who drew up the plans for the road. No less a person than Walter Burley Griffin approved the design of the  Boulevard, however some were less than impressed.

The first sod for the new road was turned on Monday, September 8 1913.This is part of a report in The Age of September 9, 1913 that tells us about this road - The ceremony, which took place yesterday afternoon ...was made possible by the patriotism and generosity of Messrs. P.E. Keam, Austin Sharp and F. Castella, who are interested in land extending for about three miles between Heidelberg and the city. These gentlemen have donated a strip of land 100 feet wide above flood mark, and have also given sufficient for a footway along the banks of the river itself. The spot where the first sod was turned yesterday is over a quarter of a mile from the water's edge, but the intervening land is liable to floods, and it would not do for a large sum of money to be spent on it. Where the land keeps high, the proposed road will run adjacent to the bank. Mr.Catani, the Government engineer, has prepared plans for the boulevard, which will include accommodation for carriages, foot passengers/bicyclists and equestrians, some what similar to the lay out of Alexandra-avenue from St. Kilda-road, but it will not be quite so elaborate. Read the full article, here.

1. A general view of the new Boulevard looking towards Heidelberg. 2. Entrance to the Boulevard from Lower Heidelberg Road.

Weekly Times, September 23 1916

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132714110?

As you can see from the article I quoted from, above,  there was discussion about the location of the road not being close to the river and on January 17, 1914 The Age had a hard hitting article on the Boulevard  [read it here].  It started by criticising the Government - both State and Local - for their dalliance on the matter.  It then criticised  the Government for failing to buy up land along the river that would have allowed a boulevard along the length of the Yarra -  In the year 1912 the Government, at the suggestion of the metropolitan members of Parliament decided that the first step to be taken was to secure the land along the banks of the river. Twelve months ago the Public Works department undertook to secure options on privately held land fronting the river. What the department actually did has never been disclosed, but as far as can be ascertained it has not secured any of the land it was municipal authorities, but other land needed for the scheme has been cut up and sold while the Government or its representatives were asleep. And all the while the market price of land in Toorak, Hawthorn, Kew, Richmond, Collingwood and other river suburbs has been steadily advancing and making the ultimate hand ling of the scheme so much, the more expensive.

The report then talks about the work in the upper reaches of the Yarra i.e. between Heidelberg and Ivanhoe The "boulevard" is supposed to embrace in a 100-feet strip a footpath 10 feet wide, a 30-foot roadway for carriages and motor cars, and a pedestrian track. In addition, river bends have been secured for the establishment or parks and picnicking reserves. Those are the achievements of the Government at a cost of less than £3000. 

The facts, however, are disappointing. The most astonishing feature of the thing is that the "boulevard" is not a riverside avenue at all. All that is now visible as a result of the expenditure of £3000 is a partially formed road and footpath, not along the river bank, but up on the hills. At one or two points it gets within 100 yards of the river, but for the greater distance it is between 200 yards and half a mile away. The new road runs from near Heidelberg-bridge to the edge of a Chinese garden. There it stops like the serial story, to be continued— on the other side of the garden. The Chinese, holds this land on lease, and the officials apparently did not think it necessary to arrange with him for the running of the road through his properly......

The road is resumed on the other side of the garden, and by an easy grade it ascends the hills, getting further away from the river, to a spot where it is proposed to connect with a short unmade road that runs into Lower Heidelberg-road. On the way the officials have diverted themselves by making some interesting curves, and contortions along the hillside, which are calculated to keep a motorist so busy looking for accidents that he will not notice that the riverside road is half a mile away from the river. There are three curves of 3½ chains diameter, with the hill slope on one side, and on the other side banks that hide the view of approaching traffic. At the Ivanhoe end the pretentious "boulevard" stops short at a post and rail fence, and all the rights of private property and the majesty and might of the law unite to prevent the officials from pulling down that fence so that they might reach a public road 40 or 50 yards away...... with extraordinary stupidity the officials have, actually placed themselves in the power of the owner of that land. .....

Of the chapter of bungles into which the short history of this road is divided the most striking of all is the choice of a hillside for what is supposed to be a river side boulevard. It is only by a severe stretch of the imagination — stretching in fact back to the flood of 1891— that any connection between road and river can be understood. Excepting at the Heidelberg end the thoroughfare will give frontages on each side to private property, and in the course of time this expensive "boulevard" will become merely a suburban street — with dwellings on either side— constructed and fenced by a complaisant Government free of charge to the municipality and to the owners of the property.

So you get the picture, The Age was not happy with this pretentious boulevard. However, the next week, the next week the paper had a reply from the Minister of Public Works, Mr Hagelthorn.
One of the complaints is that the road as surveyed is not a river road. A boulevard, such as is being constructed, cannot be satisfactorily placed on land subject to flooding, which occurs periodically more or less three or four limes in a year. In 1911 it was flooded, to a depth of 15 feet, in 1891 24 feet, and move than once every year it has been flooded from two to three feet. However, the road is primarily intended to be a pleasure drive, having easy access to the river at various points. Mr Hagelthorn also dealt his trump card with this statement Mr Catani's conception of this great boulevard has been approved by Mr. Griffin, the designer of the Federal Capital, who stated that the drive was one of the finest he had ever seen and if it were in Chicago it would be worth millions to the people. Read the full article, here. 

The Boulevard - A bend at Ivanhoe

Weekly Times, September 23 1916

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132714110?

The road was officially opened sometime in late 1915 or 1916, I haven't found an official opening date yet. The  local community were obviously well pleased with the work Carlo carried out on their behalf as at Heidelberg Shire Council meeting held Tuesday, August 20, 1918 the following took place - Cr. Keam, referring to the death of the late Mr Catani, said that in order to perpetuate his memory, he proposed that the Minister for Public Works be asked to name the boulevard "The Via Catani." An Italian by birth, Mr Catani did a lot for the beautification of the Yarra, and it would be fitting to name the boulevard after him.-Seconded by Cr. Hannah and carried. (Heidelberg News, August 24, 1918).  This name change was approved by the Department of Public Works in the September and Via Catani came into being. Sadly it seems to have been a very short term name - there are advertisements for land with frontages to Via Catani in April 1919, but that is the last year I can find a mention of the road being called that name. Perhaps the locals thought that the French sounding The Boulevard was more to their  tastes than the Italian sounding Via Catani. Interestingly, there was a letter to the Editor of The Argus on July 17, 1918 that suggested that the road should be renamed Anzac Boulevard as a lasting memorial to our brave boys. (Read the letter, here)

As for whether Via Catani or The Boulevard is just pretentious or the drive was one of the finest ever seen and if it were in Chicago it would be worth millions to the people, you can be the judge.

Advertisement for land in the Valley Vue Estate, with frontages to Via Catani.

The Herald April 5, 1919

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243482251?

I have created a list of newspaper articles on Trove about the Via Catani, access the list, here.