Carlo creates a plan for Warragul Park

The site for Warragul Park was gazetted on October 1, 1888. It was just over 29 acres and was situated south of  the railway line.

Land set aside for Warragul Park

Victorian Government Gazette, October 5, 1888. p. 3039

https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1888/V/general/91.pdf

Map of Warragul, showing the Public Park and Garden Reserve, south of the railway line. 

State Library of Victoria - click on this link for the complete map http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/108451

The landscaping of the garden moved very slowly; in 1891 it was reported that the Council had to take such proceedings as shall be necessary to remove all persons who are illegally in occupation of portions of the Warragul Town Park reserve (1). Three years later the issue was still not resolved as the Warragul Guardian reported that Some of the occupants of holdings on the Warragul Public Park reserve recently offered to give up possession upon receiving certain compensation from the Council. The article then lists the compensation that had to be paid  a few years previously to occupiers of land near the railway station for removal of buildings and damage to property in connection with the rearrangement of the Warragul station yard in the years 1887-88 (2).  

The council must have eventually removed some of these people (but not all, as we shall find out later) as in 1898, ten years after the park was gazetted - 

A short time ago the Warragul Shire Council obtained a number of young trees for planting in what will some day be a beautiful public park, whilst others were obtained from one of the State nurseries, and four Queensland cedars were kindly presented by Mr. M'Cullough. Planting operations were commenced on Wednesday morning ......Over sixty trees have thus far been obtained, and they are mostly of a choice and ornamental character (3). 

This is what Warragul looked like around the time Warragul Park was gazetted in October 1888.

Warragul, c. 1886. Photographer: Nicholas Caire. State Library of Victoria H17888

Another ten years later, in 1908, the Council had received a letter from their local member -

Hon. J. E. Mackey, re obtaining assistance of Departmental Curators of Parks and gardens, stating that he had arranged with Mr Catani, of the Public Works Department to pay a visit to Warragul as soon as possible, and prepare a design for the Park (4).  

The locals were obviously excited that Carlo had agreed to design the garden and the West Gippsland Gazette printed an article which started with -

In view of the approaching visit to Warragul of Mr. Catani, one of the principal officers in the Public Works Department, in order to evolve the most effective design for the laying out of the Warragul public park, the following appreciative notice in last week's "Australasian" will be read with interest (5). The paper republished the Australasian's glowing report of Carlo's work on the  Alexandra Gardens (read it here)

In June 1908, Carlo came back with  the plan. The Yarragon Settlement News described Carlo as a man who as a landscape designer has few equals and that the plan presented would make the cheerless looking area a thing of beauty and a joy for ever. (6). 

The West Gippsland Gazette published this detailed and flamboyant description of the plans -

the plan provides for the various winding paths and shubberies incidental to all public pleasure grounds. Mr Catani has, moreover, utilised the magnificent flow of clear water to the fullest advantage, and with the consummate skill of a trained landscape gardener, has designed a circuitous stream whose pellucid waters will ripple over a rock-bestrewn bottom as they flow " on for ever," like Tennyson's immortal brook, to join the Moe river. At the narrow end of the Park a small lake is provided for, and towards the Shire Hall another and more expansive sheet of water of artistic configuration is designed to embellish the eastern end of the park. The two lakes are connected by the stream, which in its course flows over a beautiful little artificial cascade. In the centre of the larger lake is a small island, which is intended to meet the nesting proclivities of water fowl and swans, which always add to the life and interest of our public gardens. The stream itself is diverted to the longitudinal centre of the park, and the excavation work, though not extensive for such a scheme of beautification, provides for the widening of  the stream to 12 feet, the material being used to make sloping banks and lawns. Mr Catani expresses a very natural regret that the land is all flat, with no rising ground, and hints that if practicable the Council might obtain at least a portion of the higher ground to the south of the park. This is a matter worthy of consideration. (7).

The plan was accepted, some money obtained, but a year later work still hadn't started. One of the issues was Mrs Connor - 

interesting development's are expected concerning Mrs. Connor's occupancy of the public park. The lady in question is living in a weatherboard house, situated on a corner of the park, and, according to very good authority, she has no title whatever. As the shire council proposes to effect a number of improvements to the park, Mrs. Connor, together with other occupiers, was offered a sum of money to quit; but she refused the offer, and agreed in writing that the question should be settled by arbitration. Arbitrators were appointed, and the sum of £100 agreed upon. A cheque for this sum was tendered Mrs. Connor, and she refused to take it (8). I am not sure if Mrs Connor ever moved from the park!

This article from the West Gippsland Gazette  in June 1909, is worth repeating here as it shows the high esteem with which Carlo was held - 

The designing of a local park marks an epoch in the history of any district and Warragul is now engaged in such an undertaking. The future pleasure ground of the people has already been designed in part and now trees have to be selected and planted...[the Council]  recognised that in selecting the trees due regard must be paid to the scenic effects for although we have a beautiful park in the making for the rising generation, it is a very easy matter to spoil the whole effect by selecting unsuitable trees and placing them in wrong positions, necessitating transplanting and often loss in the future. In any case such a blunder would unnecessarily throw the work back...... Only those who have had some experience in such work fully realise the difficulties involved in landscape gardening ; in fact, it is a profession by itself, and Councillors after pondering over the problem wisely decided that it would be prudent to consult Signor Catani, who has already achieved a high reputation in landscape gardening; as the result of the splendid scenic effects which he has designed and carried out on the St Kilda road and the Alexandra avenue. It was Signor Catani who very kindly designed the Warragul park and with that artistic instinct, which is such a prominent characteristic in his own countrymen, he would naturally feel a personal interest in the ornamentation of the pleasure grounds which have been partially laid out according to his design..... It is hardly a fair thing either to impose such a responsibility upon the shire engineer, who as an Engineer is not expected to be an encyclopedia of all knowledge and experience including landscape gardening. Expert opinion should be obtained so that the people's park may be made as beautiful as it is possible to make it, and in future years councillors, as custodians of the people's property will be commended for their wisdom in obtaining the best advice available for such an important work (9).

The other issue that delayed the commencement of the park was that the Council had asked Carlo for a list of trees that should be planted. By all accounts, Carlo was an amiable and genial man, but he must gave despaired at times with all the requests he received from Councils regarding matters, not central to his role as Chief Engineer.  In May 1910, the West Gippsland Gazette seemed peeved that Carlo had not provided the list of suitable trees -

It is a great pity that Mr Catani was too busy to give the Council a detailed list of trees suitable for the purpose from a landscape point of view. If he still has too much to do to render this assistance he might be able to recommend a landscape gardener and failing this Mr Guilfoyle, late curator of the Botanical gardens, might be written to. Although almost an invalid from rheumatism he will doubtless be acquainted with the best men in the profession.  Failing any such assistance there would be no alternative but for the Park and Gardens committee to meet and draw up an entire scheme of landscape decoration, availing themselves of such local knowledge and experience as is obtainable. Their heart, however, was in the right place as they ended the article with it is however most essential that the trees should be planted.They can then be growing into beauty while the people sleep.(10)

It appears that the council sought no advice elsewhere and by 1911 some Councillors were losing enthusiasm for the park due to its location. It was low-lying, wet and swampy, could not be properly drained and  the drop in the temperature from the surrounding country was too great for the spot to be healthy, and the lake there would attract myriads of insects, particularly mosquitoes and snails (11). These sort of discussions went on until 1915, when there are no more reports in the papers that I could find, due no doubt because the Community was focusing on the War effort.

The War had just finished when the West Gippsland Gazette published this attack on the park in January 1919 - The present flat, called  "the park," instead of being a blessing, is the bane of Warragul. Because this rich swamp is called a "park," no effort is made to get a real park which would be a boon to the people and a source of joy and gladness and health to the children (12). 

Thus after thirty years the Council made a decision and sold off some of the park and purchased ten acres, between Albert and Clifford Street, north of the town on  much higher land. The West Gippsland Gazette praised the Council for this decision as, for a start, it did not cost the ratepayers any money and secondly when properly laid out and developed will constitute a beauty spot second to none in Gippsland. The curator of the Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Mr. Cronin (13),  recently visited Warragul at the invitation of the council, and has kindly consented to apply his landscape gardening ability to the laying out and beautification of the park (14). 

The open space with the line of trees is, I believe, Civic Park - the street with the five small cottages fronting it is Albert Street. 

Panorama of Warragul Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.State Library of Victoria Image H32492/3594

Once again, things seemed to take a long time to get going and it wasn't until 1926 that some landscaping was done as much of the Council's budget needed to be spent on roads -

but it is only now that a little money has been available to set about the work in earnest. Some thing over a hundred pounds was spent upon it in laying paths some time ago, and although these have been grown over since, they will cost less to restore, than if the Council had to begin do novo. The money for this work was furnished by the Government in order to give employment to returned soldiers at a time when there was much distress in Melbourne through the scarcity of work. (15).  In the July a fence was erected around the park and planting commenced and by 1927, 120 trees had been planted (16). 

The Shire was very lucky that Veterinary Surgeon D. T. Jones, who is an enthusiastic flower lover lived  in the area - Dr. Jones offered the Council to donate and plant bulbs and other flowers, in the raised ornamental oval at the entrance. He did so, and as mentioned last week, this spot has been a blaze of color, with the magnificent blooms of 500 choicest gladioli, including nearly seventy varieties....In addition to gladioli, there are clarkias, cosmos, dahlias, and other flowers, which indicate what it is possible to do in this, the people's park "Doc." Jones, indeed, has set a splendid example of citizenship (17).  

Finally the people of Warragul had a park, which is still there and now named Civic Park. I assume the name change happened around the time the new Warragul Shire Offices were opened in Albert Street in March 1965 (18).  I have three books on the history of Warragul and none of them have  a photo of the park or a plan. The Path of Progress: from forests of yesterday to homes of to-day by Hugh Copeland  (Shire of Warragul, 1934) had this to say about the park - Improvements to the public park had been considered by the Council, and the assistance of the late C. Catani was obtained, who designed a complete plan for laying out the grounds. A small portion of the design was afterwards carried out, but very little of the work suggested by Catani has since been attempted.  Interestingly,  he doesn't mention that the park had two locations, however some of the plantings may remain in the old park, now called the Burke Street Park which has a lot of netball courts, a caravan park, a bowling club, an athletic track and some nice looking treed areas. Certainly, Carlo had no hand in the design of the Civic Park.

We will finish off this post with this letter to the Editor of the West Gippsland Gazette of April 24, 1928 - which sums up the Council inertia and inadequate activity regarding the park in Warragul -
Sir - The action of the Warragul Shire Council in providing a recreation ground for children in the Albert Street park is to be commended but many mothers and others in charge of children often like to go with the little ones. At present, however, the only means of entry is through a hole in a barbed wire fence. This is not only awkward, but dangerous, and keeps many away. Would it not be possible to have a small gate provided? It would be much appreciated.- Yours, etc. PARENT. (19).

Yes, 40 years after being granted land for a park, the Council seemingly could not plan for something as simple and necessary as a gate.

Trove list - I have created  a list of articles on the history of Warragul Park on Trove, access the list, here. 

Footnotes

(1) Warragul Guardian, April 14, 1891, see here. 

(2) Warragul Guardian, May 4 1894, see here. 

(3) West Gippsland Gazette, October 4, 1898, see here. 

(4) West Gippsland Gazette, February 18, 1908, see here. 

(5) West Gippsland Gazette, May 5, 1908, see here.

(6) Yarragon Settlement News, June 25, 1908, see here. 

(7) West Gippsland Gazette of July 7, 1908, see here. 

(8) The Age, June 23, 1908, see here.

(9) West Gippsland Gazette, June 22, 1909 see here. 

(10) West Gippsland Gazette, May 31, 1910, see here. 

(11) Yarragon Settlement News, February 20, 1913, see here. 

(12) West Gippsland Gazette, January 7, 1919, see here.  

(13) John Cronin (1865 - 1923) Mr Cronin was born at Clunes and was the first Australian born director of the Royal Botanic Gardens. He started at the Gardens in 1898, under William Guilfoyle, previously having been at the Department of Agriculture. In 1908 he became the Principal of the Burnley Horticultural College, but resigned the following year to take over from William Guilfoyle, who had retired, as the Director of the Gardens. His time at the gardens was influenced by a drought, lack of funds and labour due to the First World War and by the fact that he was seriously ill with cancer. (People and Plants: a history of gardening in Victoria by Mary Ellis (published by the author, in 2003). 

(14) West Gippsland Gazette of July 15, 1919, see here. 

(15) West Gipplsand Gazette, June 8, 1926, see here. 

(16) West Gippsland Gazette, June 28 1927, see here.

(17) West Gippsland Gazette, February 8, 1927, see here, 

(18) Forests old, pastures new: a history of Warragul by Sally Wilde (Shire of Warragul, 1988), p. 294

(19)  West Gippsland Gazette of April 24, 1928, see here.

Edwardes Park and Lake in Reservoir and Thomas Dyer Edwardes

In December 1843, Thomas Dyer Edwardes (1807 - 1885) purchased Sections 11 & 12, Parish  of Keelbundora which consisted of  1,875 acres.  The land was situated between the Merri Creek and Darebin Creek. According to  Harley W. Forster, in his book Preston: Lands and People, 1838-1967 -  Edwardes did not get a good return for his investment; apart from selling some land to the Commissioners of Sewers and Water  Supply for  £897/13/9. to make the Yan Yean pipeline and tramway, he had to be content with leasing his land, rents in 1858-63 totalling  £250 per annum. An early sub-divisional plan for Keelbundora 12 was not proceeded with as the land, in the Reservoir area, was still remote from the main centres.

Edwardes (who, like his son, is referred to as Dyer Edwardes in some sources) had arrived in New South Wales in 1828 after spending some time in China. In 1832, he went into a partnership with Matthew Dysart Hunter, and they imported goods from France and Batavia and also had most of the China tea trade.  Edwardes returned to England and in June 1835 he married Martha Sharp in Warwickshire. Their son, also called Thomas Dyer Edwardes, was born July 21, 1847 in London. (Hunters Hill Trust Journal, April 1992)  According to his obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald of March 3, 1885, Edwardes returned to Australian in 1844 and 1873. I presume the visit listed as 1844 (was it actually 1843?) was when he purchased the land at Preston.

When Thomas (the son) was about 20 he came to Victoria and apparently spent about ten years here. He sub-divided some of his father's land  and Forster writes that one estate was known as the Leamington Estate, after the Edwards family home place in England. The settlers were described as stout-hearted for as late as April 1915 they were carrying water to their houses and taking washing up to 1½ miles to be done. 

In 1878, Thomas (the son)  was back in England where he married the grandly named Clementina Georgina Lucy Drummond Villiers and they lived at Prinknash Park, Gloucester. They had a daughter,  Lucy Noel Martha, who was born on Christmas Day (hence the name Noel)  in 1878. Noel, as she seems to have been known,  married the Earl of Rothes in 1900. As an exciting twist to the Edwardes story - Thomas and Clementina and their daughter, Noel the Countess, all sailed on the Titanic! Thomas and Clementina disembarked at Cherbourg in France, however Noel continued on to New York. She survived the sinking as did her travelling companion,  her cousin, Gladys Cherry, and her maid Roberta Maioni. You can read about the Countess and her parents on the Encyclopedia Titanica. This a great website that has biographical information on all the Titanic passengers and an interesting account of the spirited Countess in the lifeboat. You can access the post on the Countess, here, and that links to the others who travelled with her.

Edwardes died on February 10, 1926 in Naples and he left an Estate of £206,463 - with property in England and Victoria. The beneficiaries were his daughter and her children. There were various codicils to the will including one dated July 31, 1924, that said that he and his wife had agreed to live apart - she was left some money in the will and an annuity. Another interesting codicil that was reported was that he had recently joined the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church, and desired his body to be cremated and the ashes placed in a mausoleum to be built on a piece of land which he wished consecrated as a Roman Catholic burial ground.  (The Herald, August 10, 1926) The Encyclopedia Titanica website entry on Edwardes (see here) says that it was his wish that Prinknash be given to the order of Benedictine monks who still occupy the estate.  Even monks have  website these days, you can view it here  You can also read about them and Mr Edwardes here   https://btsarnia.org/2017/10/04/prinknash-and-fr-dolling/

Before we leave both of the Thomas Dyer Edwardes and move onto Carlo Catani, Thomas (the son) donated a peal of thirteen bells to St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne, in 1889. You can read about the Dedication service and a description of the bells, here. The St Paul's Cathedral website (see here) it is one of the few peals of thirteen bells outside the British Isles. Thomas also donated £3,000 toward  the cost of the £6,000 organ which was installed at St Paul's Cathedral.

The bells of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Donated by Thomas Dyer Edwardes.

Australasian Sketcher December 26, 1889

In September 1914, Thomas Dyer Edwardes donated thirty four acres of land for a park and lake to the Shire of Preston,  so this was part of the land that his father had purchased in 1843. The Argus of September 16, 1914 had this report-
At the Preston Shire Council meeting on Monday evening a letter was received from the solicitor for Mr Thomas Dyer Edwardes's Leamington Estate, North Preston intimating that Mr Edwardes (who is at present in Great Britain) had acceded to the councils request that he would present to Preston citizens land for a recreation reserve and lake site. Instructions had come to hand that 34 acres should be handed over for this purpose. This announcement was received with warm applause. 
The land in question forms portion of what was once an artificial lake, but the embankment was carried away by floods some years ago. It is understood that the council intends to rebuild the weir, and to name the area "Lake Edwardes."

A letter to the Editor of the Preston Leader, December 4, 1915  from Mr J.S. McFadzean of the Reservoir Progress Association can add more information about the history of the site - on the site of the lake that was formerly constructed by private enterprise in 1888. With a dam some 60 yards wide and 22 feet high-of which more than half is still standing solidly-a fine sheet of water of over 25 acres in extent was at that time impounded on the Edgar Creek. There were boat sheds and refreshment rooms there, sports were held on the lake, and a start was made to connect Heidelberg and Coburg by tram running past the lake. Then the collapse of the land boom put an end to this great improvement work which would have made Preston one of Melbourne's show places if it had been carried through.

At the Council meeting of April 12, 1915 the following motion was put - Cr. Howe moved that a letter be sent, through Mr. Membrey, M.L.A, to Mr. Catani, of the Public Works Department, asking that he prepare a plan for the laying out of Edwardes Park. (Preston Leader April 17, 1915)  In June the Northcote Leader reported that  Mr. Catani, chief engineer of the Public Works Department, has already visited Preston to advise as to the best means of laying out Edwardes park.... Cr. Howe reported that Mr. Catani was most enthusiastic in regard to the site, and his visit, so far as the council is concerned, was very satisfactory. Another report said that when Mr. Catani, chief engineer of the Public Works Department, first visited it he was charmed with its natural features and greatly enamoured with its possibilities of beautification. (Northcote Leader August 5, 1916)

Before the park was officially opened on Saturday July 29 1916 the Shire had purchased another 12 acres of land to add to the park; the Reservoir Progress Association had fenced the whole property and by the September over 700 trees had been planted. The opening ceremony was attended by many residents and Mr J. G. Membrey, M.L.A, Shire President, Cr C. Stanlake, Mr Henty who was representing Mr Edwardes and Mr J.S. McFadzean of the Reservoir Progress Association. Trees were planted on the day by Mrs Membrey, Mrs Stanlake, Mrs McFadzean and  Mrs Rae.

 

Aerial view of Edwardes Park and Lake, December 21, 1928. Ten years after it opened, there has been very little landscaping carried out.
Photographer: Charles Daniel Pratt. 

State Library of Victoria Image H91.160/1754.

Click here if you want a higher resolution version http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/20210

In September 1916,  the Governor of Victoria, Sir Arthur Lyulph Stanley visited the park - His Excellency inspected the park and the plans of the proposed improvements by Mr. Catani. Edwardes Park is formed of 36 acres of undulating land, presented by Mr. Edwardes, of Hyde Park, London. A creek runs through the land, and the Shire has purchased 10 acres to form a bank for the other side of the lake into which it is proposed to convert the present creek. (Punch, September 21, 1916) The Governor also planted some trees, including a Moreton Bay fig.

The locals were very optimistic about the park, even hoping that  a large ornamental lake be formed in the park, which it is hoped will eventually become one of the attractions of the metropolitan area. (Brunswick & Coburg Star, February 25, 1916). The land, as we said before, already contained a lake, where the embankment had washed away and Harley W. Foster wrote that  J. S. McFadzean and others organized the construction of  a concrete weir and spillway in 1919 and this allowed the Preston Rowing Club to be reformed. The Preston Leader of September 23, 1916 said that a plot has been made to be planted with trees by relatives of those who have fallen on the battle field. I don't believe this ever happened, however, the new weir which was erected, using a Repatriation grant (perhaps organised by the community minded Mr McFadzean) was inset with an Armistice Memorial stone. The weir was officially opened April 3, 1920 by Brigadier-General Brand. (The Age, April 5, 1920, read about the opening, here.) During the Depression, men were employed on weeding and bluestone edging the Edwardes Lake.

Edwardes Lake, Reservoir, c. 1945-1954.  Victorian Railways Photographer.

State Library of Victoria H91.50/267

On February 5, 1935 The Age published a letter from 'A Resident' of Reservoir about Edwardes Lake, which points out years of Council neglect - Residents are pleased to note that the council is about to do something. Mr. Ben. Johnson's statement that the Preston council cannot be accused of neglect is humorous. Why was the grass allowed to grow so rank that the newly purchased cutting machine could not cut it ? What will happen to the young trees recently planted if a fire starts in this rank grass ? The council is patting itself on the back because it planted these trees; so it must, accept full responsibility if they are destroyed by fire. The town clerk talks about schemes for improvement. Residents have been listening to this talk for years...... Twenty years ago a mere handful of residents decided to form working bees and improve the park. They first of all fenced it, then planted hundreds of trees, and cared for them. They did their job well, as can be seen by the growth made by these trees. Then the rowing club members constructed the fence around the arena, and even the Preston council became enthusiastic. The members decided to help the sporting bodies, and commenced filling In the holes in the arena. That was two years ago. To day the job is still unfinished. The council's efforts fizzled out, and last year the Eastern carnival, usually held, was abandoned because the controlling bodies will not allow their members to compete for games because of the danger of sprained ankles, &c....

The next year it was reported that Preston council needed finance to carry out a scheme of beautification of Edwarde's Park and Lake. With that object in view, application was made to the Employment Council asking for a grant of £3000 to carry out the work. At its meeting this week the council was disappointed to learn that the grant cannot he made just yet. (The Age June 25, 1936)

Before we get onto Carlo's plans for the park, I came across this interesting proposal for the park. The Preston Leader of February 20, 1915 reported on this visionary plan -  F. W. Donovan wrote to the council on Monday evening suggesting that it would be a mistake to apply the "pretty little flower-garden method" in dealing with 36 acres. A plan should be laid down on bold lines that could be gradually and permanently developed....the retention of some of the virgin forest, which had been such a glaring omission in the past. The site, in his opinion, was unique in its possibilities to produce a good representation of the native flora and fauna. It could be made a sanctuary for the protection of Australian bird life, where the cry of the plover and the cacchination of the laughing jackass could be heard. The artificial lake could be stocked with wild duck, and other aquatic game could "claim kindred and have their claims allowed"

Edwardes Park and Lake, Reservoir, attributed to Carlo Catani.

What were Carlo's plans? He must have drawn some plans as they were inspected in September 1916, by the Governor of Victoria, when he visited the park -  His Excellency inspected the park and the plans of the proposed improvements by Mr. Catani. (Punch, September 21, 1916).  The Preston Leader of September 23, 1916 said that the plan for the future improvement of the area embraces the construction of a large lake, recreation ground, lawns, lengthy drives, rest houses, boat sheds, a bathing reserve and rowing course. The estimated cost of constructing the lake is £2540. This plan is not attributed to anyone in particular - was it Carlo's plan? 

We have this plan, above, which is attributed to Carlo Catani, however my research colleague and Catani authority, Isaac Hermann, feels that it is unlikely that he would have named the drive after himself and I have to agree as, from all accounts, Carlo was modest and did not seek out the limelight. This plan was presumably a Council plan and the original (which currently appears to be lost) was from the City of Preston and thus possibly inherited by the Darebin Council.

When Harley Foster published his history of Preston in 1968 he wrote while the lake was used for pleasure boating, and for the Rowing Club, which was strong and successful in the twenties, the rest of the park was little developed, and has not reached its potential to this day.  It does appear that even though Carlo was charmed with its natural features and greatly enamoured with its possibilities of beautification - this beautification may never had taken place.

Sources:
Preston: Lands and People, 1838-1967 by Harley W. Forster (F. W. Cheshire, 1968)  Thomas Dyer Edwardes and Woolwich by Diana M. Drake  published in the  Hunter's Hill Trust Journal, April 1992. https://huntershilltrust.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Vol-21-No-1-April-1992_Part1.pdf

There are some interesting photos of Edwardes Lake and Edgars Creek, which was dammed to form the lake, in this report Knowing our creek: a history of Edgar's Creek by Stephen Northey published by the Friends of Edgars Creek in 2007) Read it here.

I have created a select list of articles, from Trove, on Thomas Dyer Edwardes  - the father and the son - and Edwardes Park and Edwardes Lake which mention Carlo Catani. The List can be accessed here and includes any articles which I have referred to in this post

My family connection to Carlo!

My great-grandfather, James Rouse, selected land on Murray Road at Cora Lynn in 1903 - the lease was dated July 1. On June 25, 1909 there was a Land Board Hearing at Garfield to take evidence in connection with the many complaints of high valuation in this district.

Report of the Land Board Inquiry which sat at Garfield on June 25, 1909,

Bunyip and Garfield Express July 2, 1909

James Rouse was one of the sixty settlers who gave evidence and he said that he had spent more than £100 on the land and had not got more than tucker in return. He asked for a five year suspension of payments and a reduction in capital value. The Land Board came to a decision a year later, on June 1, 1910 - the result was a reduction in capital value to £6 and, I believe, a three year suspension of payments. However, of more interest is the fact that Carlo Catani was one of the officials sitting on the Land Board. That means that my great grandfather must have actually met and spoken to Carlo Catani. To say that I am excited would be the understatement of the century, I am absolutely exhilarated by this family connection to Carlo!!

A report in the Weekly Times commenting on the delay the settlers had in getting a decision from the Land Board about the revaluation of their land.

Weekly Times  May 28, 1910

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221811532

Land Board report on James Rouse, June 1909.

4817/130.383 James Rouse Public Office of Victoria Land Selection and Correspondence files

VPRS 5357 Consignment number: P0000 Unit number:3659

This is the page from Great-Grandpa's Land Selection file at the Public Records Office of Victoria - and there is Carlo's signature - bottom right. We have Carlo Catani, P. Campbell and A.A. Peverill.  The trio were 'gazetted' as a Land Classification Board in the May 18, 1910 Government Gazette (see below).  Peter Campbell was a surveyor. The alliteratively named Augustus Albert Peverill, is listed in the 1909 Electoral rolls at 142 Williams Road, Prahran  with an occupation as Civil Servant. 

Victorian Government Gazette  May 18, 1910

Not sure how the appointments to the Land Classification Boards worked, Carlo also had an appointment 'gazetted' in 1902, see here.

James Rouse - the man who met Carlo!

This is James Rouse, my great-grandfather, above.  He was born July 26, 1862 at Stratford on Avon in England and died at Cora Lynn on August 29, 1939. He had married Annie Glover of Clydebank (Victoria) on February 2, 1892 and they had five children.  Sadly Annie, born July 7, 1865 died on February 7, 1899 aged 33. She was pre-deceased by their two daughters Ruth and Annie. Another daughter Emily died in tragic circumstances  - she was found drowned in the Yarra on August 24, 1919, aged 25. Lucy (born September 2, 1895) died October 27, 1981. Finally, my grandfather Joseph Albert Rouse was born at Clydebank on November 9, 1892 and died September 3, 1954. Joe had come with his Dad to Cora Lynn, Emily and Lucy remained in Clydebank or Sale (not sure where) for a few years with some aunties.

The mystery of the Stanford Fountain bluestone seats

I'll admit that this is only a very tenuous connection to Carlo, but it is such a great story it's worth telling. In 1872, a fountain was erected near Parliament House in Spring Street in Melbourne. It is in a reserve which had been severed from the Parliamentary Reserve in 1863 as a site for the Burke and Wills statue, and is bounded by Spring Street, Macarthur Street and Carpentaria Place. Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills and their exploration party were the first explorers to cross the continent from south to north, leaving Melbourne on August 20, 1860 and reaching the Gulf of Carpentaria on February 9, 1861 - hence the name of Carpentaria Place. As we all know, they never made it back. A statue, by Charles Summers (1825 - 1878), was made to honour the men and erected, not in the reserve, but on the corner of Russell and Collins Street in April 1865.

This 1872 engraving shows the four bluestone seats, an integral part of the fountain design. There are some sources that say there were originally eight seats, I have addressed that issue further down.

Fountain designed and executed by William Stanford. Artist: Albert Charles Cooke. Engraver: Winston

Published in The Illustrated Australian News February 29, 1872.

State Library of Victoria Image IAN29/02/72/56

The fountain erected around May 1872 was of  bluestone and was created by William Stanford, who was a prisoner at Pentridge at the time. It had been at Pentridge, since it was completed, around September 1871.   The Illustrated Australian News of February 29, 1872 reported on the fountain and also had the illustration of it, above - This work has been designed and executed by Mr. William Stanford, who, for the last seventeen and a half years, has been an inmate of the penal establishment, having been therein immured from the early age of fifteen. It is, therefore, unnecessary to add that he is not merely self-taught in the usual acceptation of the term, but it is an actual fact that he literally never saw a work of art, worthy of the name, previous to his recent liberation from his long captivity.You can read the full article here and more of his life story in his obituary, here.  There are many reports of his life in various newspapers - they differ a bit  -  so here's one version - Stanford had been sentenced in 1853, when he was 15 (some reports say he was 13) for being involved in bushranging, then released and was caught stealing horses, so returned to gaol, but was pardoned by the Government  after he created the fountain and opened a monumental yard in Prahran. One article says that it is not surprising that William Stanford's talent was recognised by prison authorities and others. He was given lessons by Charles Summers (born in 1825), the first artist to practise sculpture in Melbourne, and creator of the Burke and Wills statue. (The Age, March 19, 1949) This makes it rather fitting that Stanford's fountain was located in the space designed for the Burke and Wills statue.

How great is this photo? It is titled, Fountain in the Parliament Reserve, Melbourne.  It is from the State Library of New South Wales collection and is dated c. 1872 -  c.1878,  so not long after the fountain was erected in Spring Street and you can see three of the bluestone seats that originally surrounded the fountain.

Views of Victoria and N.S.W., ca. 1872-1878 - photographic album, Bequeathed by D. S. Mitchell, 1907. State Library of New South Wales Image FL1059770   http://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110318895

On January 5, 1933 there was an article in The Herald (read it here) with the headline Mystery of the Missing Fountain Seats - 8 tons of basalt vanishes. The author, B.M.G. writes -
The graceful fountain carved by the prisoner Stanford was originally designed to be surrounded by four seats, each carved in bluestone in a decorative design conforming with the general scheme of the fountain. The seats were part of the whole; the fountain is incomplete without them. Stanford carried out the work on the four seats as part of his conception. They were completed and placed in position in the small open reserve in front of the Old Treasury buildings. They were there for many years, each separated from the coping of the fountain by a few feet. They were certainly in position in 1907.
Between that year and 1924 they had disappeared into thin air— a matter of six or eight tons of solid basalt. Nobody saw them being removed and nobody knows what became of them.

The next day The Herald had a follow up article - Officials of the Public Works Department are unable to throw any light on the mystery of the four stone seats which have been missing for years from around the fountain in the reserve beside the Old Treasury Building. The Public Works Department attends to the reserve.

The day after, on January 7, The Herald published this photograph with the head line There's no doubt the seats were there! But the Mystery remains unsolved.  Some of the article reads - The  mystery of the disappearance of four ponderous seats from the fountain between Parliament House and the Old Treasury Building has not been solved, but the accompanying photograph should remove any possible doubt that they really were there in years gone by.

The  Stanford Fountain photo published in The Herald on January 7, 1933 proving that the seats did exist.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243190614

This article from January 7 mentions interviews with some 'older public servants' regarding the seats - Like the Secretary for Lands (Mr Fricke), many of the older public servants remember the seats distinctly. But they cannot fix the time when they last saw them any more definitely than that it was "many years ago." They stated that about 30 years ago, when the seats were in their position around the fountain, the garden was fenced. Later the fence was removed, and the lay-out of the garden was changed. It was possible that the rearrangement of the garden was carried out when the present King, as Duke of York, visited Australia. But they could not be certain of this.

The improvement of most of the gardens around the Treasury and Parliamentary buildings was carried out under the supervision of the late Mr Carlo Catani, who was then Chief Engineer for Public Works. The early records of this department might reveal some trace of the seats, but so far no examination of them has been made.

That is, in fact, the only connection to Carlo Catani in this story, but he would clearly have known of the seats, after all he worked at 2 Treasury Place, a very short stroll from the fountain. Did he ever sit on one of the bluestone seats, while he was  eating his lunch or perhaps just getting some fresh air before returning to his many and onerous duties? As  a matter of interest, Mr Fricke, the Secretary for Lands, is photographed with Carlo in a group photograph of the officers of the Public Works Department, taken by Algernon Darge and published in Punch on June 20, 1912, see it here.

A Letter to the Editor on January 11, 1933  from Mr E. Wilson Dobbs of Caulfield, confirms they weren't there in 1927 and they are also not in a photograph published in Isaac Selby's "Memorial History of Melbourne" which was published in 1924.

In the end The Herald could offer no solution to the mystery of the bluestone seats. As  a matter of interest, one report (Weekly Times, May 4, 1872) says that the seats were in fact to have been pedestals for the reception of marble statues, but the Government refused to supply so expensive a material. How grand would that have been?

You can see one of the bluestone seats (or pedestals)  on the right. Beautiful photo, it's a shame the photographer is unknown, so we can't give them credit.

Stanford Fountain, 1910. 

Harold Paynting collection, State Library of Victoria Image H2009.60/52

I have included this photo as I have a crop of it below - it shows General Gordon's statue, with the Stanford Fountain, behind on the left - showing only four bluestone seats.

Spring St. from the Treasury steps Melbourne, c. 1891 - c. 1897. Photographer: J.W. Lindt

State Library of Victoria Image H2009.48/23

Was the fountain surrounded by four bluestone seats or eight bluestone seats? The Victorian Heritage Database entry on Gordon Reserve says that there was originally eight seats, but doesn't list any sources (read the report, here) The 1872 illustration looks like it had an octagonal base and according to The Illustrated Australian News of February 29, 1872  there were also eight drinking fountains, which form the principal ornaments of the lower basin: these are zinc castings of a complex character, consisting of eagles standing on shells, in the act of seizing lizards. So were there eight seats to match the eight eagles, which were cast by the talented Mr Stanford? If so, why do people only remember there being four seats in 1933? Had four already disappeared, pre-1907 when The Herald states the four seats were certainly in position? I find this unlikely, I believe there were only ever four seats, not eight. The photo from the 1870s, Fountain in the Parliament Reserve, Melbourne, only shows three seats, the fourth being obscured by the fountain; the photo from the 1890s - Spring St. from the Treasury steps (above, and with cropped version below) - clearly only shows four seats. Happy to be proven wrong, but where is the evidence that there were originally eight seats?

This photo from the 1890s, clearly shows only four bluestone seats surrounding the fountain, and I believe there were only ever four seats, not eight. See the original photo on the State Library of Victoria website, here.

Cropped  version of - Spring St. from the Treasury steps Melbourne, c. 1891 - c. 1897. Photographer: J.W. Lindt

State Library of Victoria Image H2009.48/23

Gordon Reserve was formally named in 1961. It also has also a statue by Hamo Thornycroft (erected in 1889) of Major-General Charles Gordon who died at Khartoum in 1885 and a statue of the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon erected in 1932. This statue was done by Paul Montford, who also did the Carlo Catani bust at the foot of the Clock tower in the Catani Gardens in St Kilda. You can read Montford's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here. The poet's statue replaced the Eight Hours Day Memorial that was erected in 1890 and then moved to its current location intersection of Russell and Victoria Streets.  This information, and the information at the top of the post about the severance of the reserve for the Burke and Wills statue comes from Melbourne's Historic Public Gardens: a management and conservation guide by Rex Swanson. (City of Melbourne, 1984.)

The Victorian Heritage Database also lists two other items of significance in Gordon Reserve - a series The women's underground public toilet is one of a group of eleven such facilities built by the City of Melbourne between 1902 and 1939. Underground toilets were then thought to be more discreet than street level toilets, as they were out of direct public view. This group is now unique in Australia.  The other feature are the Canary Palms - The five Canary Island date palm trees that can now be found at the site were planted in the early 20th Century when the plantings were rationalised and the link fences were installed that delineate the site and cordon off the General Gordon Memorial. This coincides with the time that Carlo Catani worked on the Treasury Gardens (see here) and he was an advocate of palm trees, so it is possible that they were planted under his direction. The Victorian Heritage Database citation can be found, here.

This is the fountain taken in 1949. Photographer: Colin Caldwell.

State Library of Victoria Image  H84.276/1/4C

I have created a short list of articles on Trove, on the missing seats and the Sandford fountain, you can access it here. All the articles referenced here are on the list.

Carlo goes to Europe and this 'Apostle of the Beautiful returns with his head full of ideas and his notebook bulging out with sketches'

On June 4, 1912 Carlo Catani boarded the Macedonia for London. The Macedonia was built in 1904 by Harland, Wolff Ltd in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (or P. & O. as we know it), it was 11,000 tons, a twin funneled steam ship. It was also a Royal Mail Steamer, authorised to carry the mail for the Post Office and on Carlo's trip also had an unusual and valuable cargo - £360,100 of gold in sovereigns and bullion.

The Register (Adelaide) June 5, 1912.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59069464

Carlo was a well known man and various papers had reports on his trip telling us that he is visiting Italy -  the land of his birth; Italy - his native country or Italy -  where he is making a short visit to his own people. This was the first time he had been back to Italy since his arrival in Victoria in 1876. The Public Works Department held a bon voyage party where Mr. Edgar, Minister for Public Works, eulogistically referred to the manner in which Mr. Catani had fulfilled his duties and presented him with a travelling bag and rug. (Geelong Advertister, May 31, 1912) Another function was held by the St. Kilda shore committee and a number of St. Kilda councillors gave a complimentary dinner to Mr. C. Catani at the Savoy Cafe (The Age Jun 1, 1912)

The papers were also predicting glorious things for Carlo on his return - the Weekly Times of June 1, 1912 said that it is probable that when the National Roads Board is constituted Mr Catani will be chairman and Punch May 30, 1912 said that  possibly when his furlough ends will become next Inspector-General of Works, a post which he has earned by much fruitful service. Neither of these happened - the Inspector General of Public Works position held by William Davidson  was abolished when Mr Davidson retired in September 1912. I believe the National Roads Board that was referred to may have been the Country Roads Board, the Legislation for which came into effect on January 1, 1913. There was conjecture that Carlo would be Chairman of the CRB, read about this here.

R.M.S Macedonia - the ship that took Carlo to London in June 1912

http://passengersinhistory.sa.gov.au/node/930761

What did he do when he was overseas? The Ballarat Star of October 15, 1912 has this report Mr C. Catani, Chief Engineer of Public Works, who has just returned from a four months tour in Europe, returned to duty yesterday, and was cordially welcomed back by Mr. Edgar, Minister for Public Works, and the officers of the department. In the course of a chat, Mr Catani said that he was very much impressed with the beautification and cleanliness of Berlin. The gardens were charming, and were most carefully looked after. While in England and Scotland he was unfortunate in encountering unpleasant weather. With Edinburgh as a city he was much pleased. He had brought back a few ideas with him, which he hoped he would be able to use for the benefit and delight of the public. Reports regarding dredge building, and others matters are to be submitted to the Government by Mr Catani.

It was obviously one of Carlo's projects to source a dredge -  Mr. Catani, chief engineer of the Public Works department, was deputed to secure a dredge in Germany, so that the main canal could be dredged from Cora Lynn to the sea (The Age, October 12, 1912) and the dredge he acquired was the Lubecker Steam dredge which arrived around June 1913, read about it here There is an account of other dredges that he looked at when he was overseas in Proceedings of the Victorian Institute of Engineers vol. XVI 1916 (14)  - read it here on the University of Melbourne Digitised Collections page.

Carlo also brought back some seeds when he was overseas (clearly no biosecurity concerns back in 1912). The Malvern Standard of February 15, 1919 had an enthusiastic article about the beauty of the St Kilda foreshore  and how the Esplanade is clad in a raiment of superlative finery that has perhaps never yet been equalled. It also mentioned that Some pittosporum have their origination from seed brought from Monte Carlo by the late Mr. Catani. A previous article from 1913 about the beautification of the Port Melbourne foreshore, had Carlo  praising A species of pittosporum, known as the Cheniese, which was illustrated growing close to the water's edge, was also loudly praised and said to be suitable. He also suggested the planting of tree palms, and said he had plenty of these in Melbourne. (Port Melbourne Standard, April 12, 1913) Whether they were planted in the end at Port Melbourne, I don't know, but the St Kilda ones were due to be planted in 1914 according to the Prahran Telegraph of September 6, 1913 -  The article compared St Kilda to various resorts overseas - Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo and Naples - Yet at Cannes will be seen a hedge of pittosphorum cinensis actually growing most luxuriously in the sands of the foreshore, a living rampart to screen the promenaders from the sea spray, flanked, along the boulevard, by magnificent palms, sometimes forty or fifty feet in height. Next season similar pittosphorum cinensis, the seeds of which have been imported, will be planted out at St. Kilda.   The article also said that the St Kilda Foreshore Trust has had the great advantage of the advice and assistance of Mr. C Catani, chief engineer of the State Public Works Department, a gentleman with an artistic taste for landscape gardening, an enthusiast in the adornment of public parks, who has only recently returned from a trip to Europe, in the course of which he collected many fresh ideas for transplantation in Victoria.

The plant on the left, which is casting its shadow on the Catani Archway, is a pittosporum - is it a pittosporum cinensis, perhaps grown by a  seed brought back by Carlo from Monte Carlo in 1912? I like to think it is! Plus we see three palms of which Carlo was so fond.

Photo: Isaac Hermann.

Finally, the Prahran Telegraph of October 19, 1912 had a  light-hearted look at the proposed construction of the breakwater at St Kilda to protect the yacht club - this was a Public Works Department project and they had this to say about Carlo's trip abroad - Catani, the apostle of the beautiful, is back from Europe with his head full of ideas and his notebook bulging out with sketches, and is to put in hand at once the work of enclosing the sacred waters of the golden strands whereon the white wings wander.  I wonder what happened to the notebook?

I have created a list of newspaper articles on Trove on Carlo's trip to Europe,  you can access it here. All the articles referenced here are on this list, which also includes two web sites with information about the R.M.S. Macedonia.

What did Carlo earn?

Carlo Catani was an extraordinarily busy man as Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department of Victoria and his design and engineering skills were much in demand, so what did he earn for all this work? Well, it turns out that he just got the normal Victorian Public Service salary.

The Age reported on February 25, 1910 that at a meeting of the Executive Council held yesterday, Mr. C. Catani, engineer-of roads, bridges and harbor works, was promoted to be chief engineer of the Public Works department. His present salary is £600 a year. Class B 2, to which he has been raised, carries a salary ranging from a minimum of £560 to a maximum of £650.

The Age February 25, 1910.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196082294

So it appears that officers in Class B 2, could be paid as much as £650 per annum, but The Argus on the same day said that  Carlo's appointment came with  a salary of £600 a year and that No increase was made in Mr. Catani's salary, so he had taken on additional responsibilities for no extra money.

Carlo must have eventually had a salary increase as Punch reported on October 24, 1912 on some political gossip about the appointment of the new Agent-General in London and  Other important State appointments are contingent on the carrying of the Main Roads Bill this session. The Chairman of the Main Roads Board is to receive £800 a year. He will almost certainly be Mr. Catani, who has been thinking out the engineering problems of the Public Works Department for many years, and yet gets only £650 a year, a remuneration which the average successful engineer in private practice would scorn. But that is the way with Victorian Governments. They stop short with their salaries for just those valuable expert officers whose brain work means success or disaster to the State's largest public undertakings. Ministers get so little themselves - only from £1000 to £1200 - that they cannot see that it pays the public to pay handsomely for the best expert knowledge.

From this we learn that Carlo was now on £650 per annum, the maximum for Class B 2 Public Servant; that Government Ministers earnt between £1000 to £1200;  that Carlo should have been paid more and the Punch considered that he would be a suitable Chairman  of the Main Roads Board, which paid £800 per annum. Did Carlo ever apply for the Chairman's role? Returning to Punch, in January 1913 they reported that he had declined the position. It may have been because his own position was reclassified in late 1912 and that his salary increased to around £800 per annum (Bendigo Independent).   In the end the organization was known as the Country Roads Board and the first chairman was William Calder (1860 - 1928).  The Calder Highway is named for Mr Calder and you can read his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here.

Punch October 24, 1912

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175803175

When the role of Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department was created the role of Chief Architect was also created. The Herald of May 4, 1910 reported that Lieutenant-Colonel G. W. Watson, a senior architect of the Public Works Department, has been appointed Chief Architect of that Department at a salary of £560 a year.  This was £40 per annum less than Carlo. Was Lieutenant-Colonel George William Watson worried about this? Don't know, but he sadly died in July 1915 and Samuel Charles Brittingham was appointed acting Chief Architect. Due to the War no permanent appointments were being made. Mr Brittingham retired in 1922.

Of course, we do not know how Carlo spent his money, but he obviously used some of it to support community groups and works in St Kilda. This article, below, published after he died, said that he had voluntarily worked for St Kilda Foreshore Committee for 12 years and had even lent the group  £1,400 to  help it continue it work - that's two years worth of salary - a generous amount of money.  Carlo did not leave a will but his probate papers valued his estate at just over £3,645 - £1,448 in real estate and £2,245 in personal property.

Carlo's generosity. The memorials to Carlo came  a bit later - the gardens designed by Carlo on the St Kilda foreshore were named after him in 1927 and the Memorial Clock Tower was unveiled in 1932.

Prahran Telegraph  August 17, 1918

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75258567

An article published in The Age of November 25, 1925 was scathing in reporting this matter, of Carlo having to lend money to the Foreshore Committee in order that they could carry out their beautification works.

A report mentioned Carlo's generous loan to the St Kilda Foreshore Committee. Sadly, the reported  short sighted, unenterprising state of mind that existed in the Government at the time, still exists in Governments today - so no change there.
The Age of November 25, 1925
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155677079

To put these salaries that I have mentioned above into perspective the 1915 Commonwealth Year* book has lists of average wages for the time and a metal worker such as a blacksmith earnt about £170 per annum and and a general labourer about £124. A male shop assistant or clerk was on £91 to £130 and a female on £54 to £78. Clearly, compared to the average man in the street, Carlo was doing well, however given the massive contribution that he made to Victoria and the esteem and affection with which he was held then  I must agree with the Punch writer that They [the Victorian Government] stop short with their salaries for just those valuable expert officers whose brain work means success or disaster to the State's largest public undertakings. 

* Access the Commonwealth Year books, here. Click on Past & Future releases.

I have created  a list of articles on Trove about Carlo's salary - access it here. All articles referenced here are on the list.

Is this Carlo Catani?

I came across this photo the other day and as soon as I saw it, I thought - this has got to be Carlo.  It was taken at the works to divert the course of the Yarra in 1897 to help prevent flooding. You can see a map of the Yarra River Works, here. I am convinced that the man is Carlo Catani - same build, same bowler hat I have seen in other photos;  he had a beard and a moustache like the man in the photo does;  he wore that cutaway style jacket and he was clearly involved with the Yarra River works. Carlo was a very hands-on engineer and it would have been just like him to check out the progress. If it isn't Carlo, then who is it?

Yarra diversion works, Melbourne, 1897. Photographer: John Henry Harvey

State Library of Victoria Accession no: H2009.100/66