The City of Port Phillip honours Carlo Catani

In the past few months, the City of Port Phillip have erected three interpretive signs connected to Carlo Catani - one in the Catani Gardens in St Kilda, one at the Catani Archway and the other at the site of Carlo's now demolished house in Blessington Street in St Kilda.  Well done to the City of Port Phillip for recognising and celebrating their history!

This is the sign in the Catani Gardens

This is the wording - the photo was supplied by the Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society, of which I am President. Ironically, there is no memorial for Carlo on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp unless you count the Swamp town of Catani, which is of course, named for him. However, some sort of memorial is on my list of projects for this year!

This is the Catani Archway in the Catani Gardens - the plaque, mounted on a bluestone plinth, is on the left.

This is the Catani Archway plaque

The Catani Archway plaque includes, the text, above and the image, below.

In 1912, the Catani family home, Glenluce, in Elm Street in Armadale was demolished to make way for the duplication of the railway line between South Yarra and Caulfield, read about this here, and the family moved to Wyndham, 39 Blessington Street,  St Kilda. The house was sold by the family after Catherine Catani died in August 1925. The house has been demolished, the street has been re-numbered (that's why the plaque is at No. 61) and  a block of flats was built on the site, maybe in the 1930s.

This is a close-up of the plaque at Blessington Street.

The Argus, August 21, 1926

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3803792

Wyndham was put up for Auction on Saturday, September 18, 1926. If only I could go back in time, I'd buy the house and make it a permanent shrine to Carlo. Sadly, we don't have  a photograph of Wyndham but this auction notice has a description of the house -  very nice brick villa containing nine rooms, including large dining room. All the rooms are in perfect order. The house is particularly well built and on good foundations...there is also a brick garage with cement floor for 2 cars. Seems too good to have been pulled down and have flats erected on the site however I guess the location situated  in one of the best positions on St Kilda, being near the tram and a splendid shopping centre, sealed it's fate like so many other beautiful houses.

Images: The two photos of the Catani Gardens interpretive sign were taken by me. The four images of the Catani Archway and the two images of  the Blessington Street sign were taken by Isaac Hermann, thanks Isaac!

Postcards of Carlo's Playgrounds

There was an article in The Argus of January 4, 1926 (read it here) with the headlines - Beautifying Melbourne - Our debt to Mr Catani - Maker of Playgrounds

The Argus of January 4, 1926 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3727092

Traditionally, when people visited 'Playgrounds' or recreational or beauty spots, they sent a postcard, so I thought we would have  a look at some postcards, connected to places which Carlo was involved with. There are a lot of postcards on the State Library of Victoria (SLV) website, but I am just limiting this to cards which were actually sent through the post. These three cards were all sent to  Miss M. Prisk, 116 Windermere Street,  Ballarat. There are 22 of her postcards at the SLV.  The State Library has transcribed the messages on the postcards and it seems that she not only collected the postcards but also sent cards to other collectors - around 1906 to 1908 when these cards were sent - postcard collecting was a 'regular rage'. On the back of the Beaconsfield Parade card it is written - Many Thanks for P.C. Would you send my mother one now instead of sending me two each time as she would like some Ballarat Views. Please. Louis [...?] & C. Yes - I would like some more snow scenes - please. The writing on the back of the Japanese Gardens card is  Wishing your Collection Every Success. J. C.  Another of Miss Prisk's postcards at the SLV has this on the back  Dear Miss Prisk, Many thanks for P.C. received . Have you many P.C. in your Collection. It is a regular rage here in town, & I do not think their is a house without an album. I don't know [whither?] Ballarat is [infected?] to the [Ra..?] degree.

Who was Miss Prisk? The cards are generally addressed to Miss M. Prisk but she is also addressed as May, Maisie, Mazie and Mavis. Miss Prisk, was born Rosina May Prisk in 1888 to John and Margaret (nee Allen) Prisk. We can confirm this as the 1906 Electoral Rolls have John Henry Prisk, carter and Margaret Prisk, home duties listed at 116 Windermere Street. May was married to Lieutenant Edward Thomas John Kerby on May 3, 1911 at the Lydiard Street Methodist Church in Ballarat (notice in the Ballarat Star of  April 29, 1911). Edward served in the First World War; he enlisted with the rank of Captain and was later promoted to Major.  They had two children - Donald Edwin Hosking, born in 1912 and James Allan, born 1913. Both the boys served in the RAAF in the Second World War. In 1945, May and Edward divorced and she married Oliver Gladstone Longstaff.  There was already a family connection as Patricia Longstaff, Oliver's daughter by his marriage to his first wife, Margaret Grimes (died 1930), had married May and Edward's son James in 1934. Sadly, James was Killed in Action in Germany in January 1944. Did grief bring May and Oliver together? Oliver Longstaff died in 1965, Edward  Kerby in 1971 and May died in 1980. I wonder if she kept her postcard collection right to the end? The postcards were a gift to the SLV from the National Trust in 1985

Beaconsfield Parade, St Kilda

Message on verso - Many Thanks for P.C. Would you send my mother one now instead of sending me two each time as she would like some Ballarat Views. Please. Louis [...?] & C. Yes - I would like some more snow scenes - please.

State Library of Victoria Image H85.70/126

Beaconsfield Parade was one of Carlo's first jobs - in an article published in the Prahran Telegraph of May 26, 1917 just after his retirement, Carlo looked back at some of his career and said that in 1870 I had to give levels for what we used to call the military road along Beaconsfield Parade to South Melbourne. We took sand from the mounds there, and used it to level the road. (Read the full article, here)

Japanese Gardens, Treasury Reserve, Melbourne
"Best wishes"16/6/1906. Message on verso - Wishing your Collection Every 

Success. J. C.

State Library of Victoria Image H85.70/114

The Treasury  Gardens (or Treasury Reserve as it was known) was designed by Clement Hodgkinson in 1867. The gardens were allowed to deteriorate in the long period of Government frugality from 1892 (Rex Swanson*) The Japanese Garden, in the Treasury Gardens, was designed by William Guilfoyle, Director of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, in 1902. It was bull-dozed in 1948 due to anti-Japanese sentiment after the War.  There was further work at the Treasury Gardens in 1907 when the boundary fences were removed and  in the same year Guilfoyle  was asked to provide plans to improve the gardens, but Rex Swanson writes that the Government of the day did not find the funds to carry it out.  Carlo, through the Public Works Department, was involved with the 1902 work on the Japanese Gardens and the on-going maintenance of Melbourne's Gardens. In 1929 the gardens were taken under the control of the City of Melbourne. 

The Leader newspaper of June 8, 1912  clearly links Carlo with the beautification works -  The St. Kilda shore committee and a number of St Kilda councillors gave a complimentary dinner to Mr. C. Catani at the Savoy Cafe to wish him bon voyage on the occasion of his trip to revisit Italy the and of his birth, an absence of thirty-seven years. Cr. Gibbs occupied the chair, and all present were lavish in their praises of Mr. Catani's work of beautification, not only at the foreshore, but at Alexandra-avenue, Treasury Gardens, and numerous other places. Mr Catani left by the Macedonia on Tuesday, and will be absent for four months. (read the article, here)

Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne
'Best wishes' 12/?/ 1906. There is no message on verso, just Miss Prisk's address. 

State Library of Victoria Image  H85.70/112

Carlo's vision for Alexandra Avenue was to achieve that very important factor of forming a beautiful promenade, worthy of Melbourne, on the bank of the river, where all classes could meet.**  He did achieve that aim and in 1937 The Argus said this about the 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. (The Argus, November 13, 1937, read article, here) I have written before about Carlo's involvement  with Alexandra Avenue and Alexandra Gardens

Sources

*  Melbourne's Historic Public Gardens: a management and conservation guide by Rex Swanson. City of Melbourne, 1984.

I also used Civilising the City: a history of Melbourne's Public Gardens by Georgina Whitehead (State Library of Victoria, 1997)

** 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.

Officers of the Public Works Department photograph by Algernon Darge

The Melbourne Punch edition of June 20, 1912 published photos of the staff of the Victorian Railways - Secretary's Branch,  the Victorian Government Statist's Office and the Officers of the Public Works Department. The photos were taken by Algernon  Darge (born as Algernon Charles Gordon Sharp in 1878.  Darge operated as a photographer from 1903 and his office was in the same building as The Herald and The Argus newspapers.  His company  had the concession to take photographs at the Broadmeadows and Seymour army camps during the First World War. In the 1930s, the Australian War Memorial purchased the original glass negatives from Algernon Darge, along with the photographers' notebooks. The notebooks contain brief details, usually a surname or unit name, for each negative. (1) 

Algernon Darge died on January 24, 1941 and his obituary in The Argus of February 3, 1941 described him as - 

a pioneer of commercial photography in Melbourne and reported that his  collection includes many scenes of early Melbourne life, photographs of notable events in the city's history, of the first motor-cars to chug and rattle along its streets- Mr Darge himself was one of the first to use a car for commercial purposes. The obituary also reported on the contents of his will - he left his unique pictorial record of half a century of Melbourne's history, the carefully preserved collection of photographic plates to The Argus.....The residue of his estate is to be held in trust for 21 years, during which the income is to be used for the electrical engineering and mechanical engineering departments of the Melbourne Technical College, where Mr. Darge was formerly an assistant Instructor. The residue will become the property of the college after 21 years. (2)  His ashes were scattered at Mount Matlock, near Woods Point. 

This is the Algernon Darge photo of the Public Works Department Officers, which includes Carlo Catani, which was published in Punch in June 1912. (3)

Officers of the Public Works Department (State). 

 Photographer: Algernon Darge. 

Carlo Catani is in the second row from the front, fifth from the right.

Punch June 20, 1912 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175618291

Front Row.—Messrs. Mackay, Dimelow, Sawyer, Couve, Morris, Robinson, Hassett, Swanton, Whitley, Bult, Cutler.
Second Row.—Messrs. Harvey, Kerr, Brown,  Brittingham, Watson (Chief Architect), E. T. Drake (Secretary), W. H.Edgar (Minister of Public Works), W. Davidson (Inspector-General), C. Catani (Chief Engineer) C. Clowser (Acting-Chief Clerk), Jamieson, Austin, M'Kenzie.
Third Row.—Messrs. Cartwright, Gibbs, Stevens, Klingender, Campbell, Kennison, Cazaly, Cook, Fricke, M'lntosh, Thomas, Robertson, M'Cormick, Ridoutt, Hall, Neal, Moore, Searle, Clarke, Keeley, Couchman, Abbott, Simpson. Spiers.
Fourth Row.—Messrs. Pooley, Hooks, Hewitt, Tingate, Chambers, Pike, Cobby, Greenless, Glass, Campbell, Lewie, Neylon, Matthews, Kennedy, Symons.
Back Row.—Messrs. Gleeson, Lynar, Coney, Fulton, O'Sullivan, Connelly, Grant, Smart, Dewar, Gluth, Clarke, Pollock, Mather, Doig, Bult, Birchell, Hendy.

Public Offices. This watercolour was one of the illustrations on the Illuminated Address presented to Carlo Catani, on his retirement on April 28, 1917. This is building that housed the Public Works Department. The address was illuminated by Mr. R. Fiddes Brown (4) of Messrs. Mason, Firth & McCutcheon.
The original is held at the State Library of Victoria, Manuscripts collection. 

Image of original: Isaac Hermann

The photo taken by Algernon Darge of the Public Works Department Officers, was taken outside the Public Offices, also called the Government Offices, at 2 Treasury Place, East Melbourne; they overlook the Treasury Gardens. The Victorian Heritage database has this to say about the building -  

In 1859 foundations were laid for a third building, the New Treasury Building, in the precinct at No 2 Treasury Place, but this was not completed until 1876. A classical style was adopted by the architect Michael Egan, consistent with the existing government buildings, and this building accommodated the treasurer and other government departments, including the Public Works Department. Major remodelling included the addition of a third floor to the east and west wings in 1933 to designs by Oakley and Parkes, and the addition of the Western Annexe to the north, by Percy Everett of the PWD in 1949 (demolished 1997). No 2A Treasury Place was built in 1873-75 to accommodate the Central Plan Office. (5)

This is another view of the grand and beautiful Government Offices, showing the side elevation, as well as the facade. The corner stones on the left of the Algernon Darge photo can be clearly seen in this photograph. The building on the left is the 1862 Treasury Building. 

Henry J. Bunney collection, State Library of Victoria Image H2006.56/12

Footnotes

(1) Australian War Memorial website https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/DA17666

(2) The Argus, February 3, 1941, see here. 

(3) Punch June 20, 1912, see here.  

(4) R. Fiddes Brown 

https://carlocatani.blogspot.com/2022/11/richard-fiddes-brown-1876-1936.html

(5) https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/801

Catani Park on Lake Colac, Ondit

In the last post we looked at Red Rock Reserve, at Alvie, 15 kms from Colac.  The first time we came across Red Rock and the connection to Carlo Catani was in this article, published in the Colac Reformer, July 21, 1914.

The first and only mention of Catani Park near Colac, that we can find.

Colac Reformer  July 21, 1914

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154147979?

As you can see, the article states that Catani Park at the Red Rock had been planted with trees and that it had also been renamed Meredith Park, after the Colac Shire President, Cr C. W. Meredith, who I believe was Charles William Meredith, farmer, of Warrion. He was married to Charlotte (nee Prime) who died at the age of 49 in 1909. Charles died in Geelong on September 3, 1933, aged 75. 

Being unfamiliar with the area, at first we thought that Catani Park was the original name for Red Rock Reserve, but  is clearly a different location. Catani Park/Meredith Park is north of Lake Colac, at Ondit, rather than near Lake Corangamite  at Alvie as Red Rock Reserve is. This is confirmed by the report below about tree planting at both Red Rock Reserve and Meredith Park.

The very busy Curator at the Colac Gardens had a lot of responsibilities including plating trees at Red Rock Reserve and Meredith Park.

The Colac Reformer, July 17, 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article159615344

The only mystery that remains is why was Catani Park named after Carlo originally and then changed to Meredith Park?  Perhaps it was named after Carlo in recognition of the work he did in having Red Rock Reserve set aside, but maybe Carlo would not accept the honour. Or did, he accept the honour, but then the local council decided to re-name it after one of their own? I don't know.

I have created a list of newspaper articles from Trove and websites on the Red Rock Reserve and the Kanawinka Geopark which it is now part of, you can access it, here.

Red Rock Reserve, Colac

On Saturday, April 13 1912 Mr. W. H. Edgar, Minister of Public Works, and Mr. Catani, Engineer for Public Works, accompanied by the secretary of the Colac Progress Association, visited the volcanic lakes at Red Rock, on Mr. R. S. Murray's Wool Wool Estate. It has been proposed to have this part of the property reserved as a public park, and the party was invited to visit it, so as to be informed on the subject, at first hand, should the matter come before Parliament. The visitors were much impressed with the great natural beauty of the spot. (The Age April 15, 1912)

A year later in May 1913, Carlo was back in the Colac region. Carlo accompanied by the Colac Shire President, Cr Dunoon and the Shire Engineer, Mr Neylan, amongst others.Their mission was to mark off a block of land on the grass-covered elevation overlooking the Corangamite Lake, and to have it reserved as a public pleasure ground. The site of a really magnificent picnic area was inspected from a vantage point known as Red Rock plateau. The future holiday makers of the Western district will overlook a sweep of lake and timber and pastoral country such as is not to be met with elsewhere in Victoria, if in Australia. This morning, when Mr. Catani and the others made the ascent, a
wonderful vista of sun and shadow and cloud effect was playing over the wide-extending waters of Corangamite; over the five or six basin lakes below; over the dazzling green of the islands in the distance, and over the far-sweeping, darkly outlined contour of the Otway Forest against the horizon.   (The Age, May 8, 1913)

This painting shows the view towards Lake Corangamite, from the rocky outcrop known as Red Rock, near Colac. It was formerly attributed to Nicholas Chevalier on the basis of its supposed resemblance to other work by him. Dated 1862/63.

Caption and image from State Library of Victoria - Image H11609

The Red Rock plateau was part of the Wool Wool Estate, owned by Robert Stuart Murray. The Wool Wool Estate was taken up by Andrew Murray in 1838 - the book Pastoral Pioneers of Port Phillip*, described it as 8,000 acres on the eastern shore of Lake Corangamite.  Robert was Andrew's son. The land seems to have been gradually sold off and Red Rock Reserve area was acquired during one of these land sales - The chance came when the Wool Wool estate was put on the market by Mr R. S. Murray, and steps were immediately taken which resulted in the necessary land being provisionally secured and pathways and roads surveyed by Mr George Cornthwaite, assisted by Mr C. H. Neylon, the Shire Engineer. An estimate was then secured in regard to the cost of the land, fencing and improvements, and as a result, Mr Johnstone [local M.L.A] visited Sir Alexander Peacock, the Acting Treasurer, to-day, and asked for a vote to enable them to secure the reserve. After hearing what Mr Edgar and Mr Catani had to say, the Minister promised a vote of £300 towards making the Red Rock a public reserve. (The Herald, June 18, 1913)

Panorama from Red Rock (Rose Series postcard)
The house is Coragulac, built in 1873 for George Pringle Robertson.

State Library of Victoria  Image H32492/2674

The Reserve was officially opened on December 4, 1915 by the Hon. W. Hutchinson, Minister of Lands - other officials included Hon. D. Mackinnon, M.L.A.; the Hon. John Gray, Government Whip; Mr S. Barnes, M.L.A., chairman, of the Railways Standing Committee ; Mr Allan Cameron. M.L.A.; Mr J. D. Mitchell, M.L.A.; Mr J. M. Reed, Secretary for Lands; Mr C. Catani, Chief Engineer of Public Works; and Mr A. G. Sainsbury, Chief Commissioner of Police, Mr J. G. Johnstone, M L A, plus a raft of local councillors. There were many speeches, extensively reported in the local papers. You can read the reports here and here.

The view from the 768 feet summit was described as The tract of country spread out to view was seen at its very best. From the Otway ranges in the south to the wheat-bearing plains in the north a charming variety of scenery was disclosed. The vast expanse of Lake Corangamite, the largest lake in the State, glistened beneath the sun on the one hand, while the darker waters of Lake Colac presented an imposing picture on the other. The numerous lakelets, reposing in craters at the foot of the hills, showed a wide range of tints. All around the farm lands, broken by clumps of pines, told a tale of Nature's fertility and man's industry, which greatly impressed not only those who saw the panorama for the first time, but also those, who, familiar with the scene had never viewed it under more perfect conditions. (Colac Reformer, December 7, 1915)

My favourite part of the speeches is this (also from Colac Reformer, December 7, 1915) When the people of the district climbed this modern Pisgah, they had a finer view - more beautiful, more prosperous, and more picturesque - than had Moses when he viewed the Promised Land. They had the advantage of Moses, in that he was only to see the land, whereas they had the right to possession. That was the Hon, W. Hutchinson.  The opening ended with luncheon and afternoon tea arrangements [which] were in the hands of Mrs E. E. M'Kean, and were most efficiently carried out. Mrs E.E M'Kean who catered for this glorious occasion was Edith Elizabeth M'Kean - listed in the Electoral Rolls as a confectioner. An article in the Colac Herald of May 7, 1915 said that Mrs M'Kean had been in business for herself for eight to nine years and including the time her husband was alive, for twenty five years, so she was very experienced. I wonder what was on the menu on the day?

The Red Rock, Colac (Rose Series postcard)

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/2676

When Red Rock Reserve, which is technically at Alvie, 15 kms from Colac,  was established with Carlo's assistance it was set aside largely because it offered a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside, however the region now has International significance as part of the Kanawinka Geopark. It is on the eastern edge of the park, which goes through to south east South Australia. Victorian Resources online has this to say about the significance of the area -
Red Rock is one of the most complex eruption points in the Newer Volcanics Province and includes maars, tuff rings and scoria cones with a basal lava flow from another source (probably Warrion Hill). Up to 30 eruption centres have been mapped in the area measuring 4 km by 3 km just south of the township of Alvie and there are several small eruption points just north of the township. The eruption sequence includes an initial extended phase of maar and tuff ring formation with minor intervening scoria phases when phreatomagmatic activity declined due to depletion of groundwater. There are nine entire craters up to 75 m deep, some containing lakes including Lakes Purdiguluc, Werowrap and Coragulac. Lake Purdiguluc is formed by at least five coalescing eruption points. Following the maar activity there was an extended phase of scoria eruption in the north around Lake Werowrap which buried part of the maars and tuff deposits. On the basis of a single radiocarbon assay, a date of approximately 8,000 years has been advanced for the age of the Red Rock tuff eruption.  You can read the full citation at http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/coranregn.nsf/pages/corangamite_eruption_points_red_rock
There is another, less scientific description, here http://otway.biz/redrock.html

*Pastoral Pioneers of Port Phillip by R.V. Billis and A.S. Kenyon (Stockland Press, 1974_

I have created a list of newspaper articles, including the ones referenced here,  from Trove and websites on the Red Rock Reserve and the Kanawinka Geopark, you can access it, here.

Thank you to my fellow Carlo researcher, Isaac, for Carlo/Red Rock connection and the information on the Kanawinka Geopark.

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

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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.