banff - 29 albion Rd, box hill

The house at 29 Albion Rd named Banff is a significant historic feature within the Box Hill / Whitehorse area due to its unique historic Italianate style architecture. It should also be valued because it is a rare example of the life-style, culture and historical environment in which the people who developed our area lived. There are no other buildings dating from 1888 of this heritage, cultural significance and architectural style in Box Hill and Whitehorse. 

The legacy of the Sim, Daley, Taylor and Tymms families is the contribution they have made to the culture and heritage of not only Box Hill, Whitehorse, Melbourne but also to Australia generally. 

• The Sim family contributed to the built heritage, political, financial and religious life, and the early physical/ cultural development of Box Hill including in their local social activities. 
• Builder John R Daley contributed to the built heritage including 29 (Banff) and 41 (Turriff) Albion Rd and many other buildings in and around Box Hill
• The Taylor sisters over more than 20 years contributed in the areas of education and women’s rights and the Tymms family in the area of the postal and telegraphic service - a legacy which should be celebrated, recognised and protected for all.

In a report compiled for Box Hill by Andrew Ward in 1990 (City of Whitehorse Heritage Review: Building Citations, Allom Lovell and Associates) he wrote of 29 Albion Rd that ‘the building was built by J R Daley and the architect was unknown’. In my research in 2020 I discovered that the architect was the renowned late 19th century Australian architect John Beswicke.

Although the house is covered by a Council Heritage Overlay (HO14) and is on the Register of the National Estate, it is not registered with the National Trust or on the Victorian Heritage Register; the house should be considered for registration with both of these organisations to further protect it.

It was seen as having heritage value in the past when classified and is now even more valued for its heritage since the current building developments in Whitehorse and Box Hill in particular.

THE SIM FAMILY

George Sim was born in Turriff in Scotland in 1814 to George and Margaret Sim (nee Cruickshank). In 1843 George married Catherine Sweetland in Middlesex, England. Catherine Sweetland was born in 1823 to Stephen and Elizabeth Sweetland (nee Frost) in St James, London in England. Their marriage certificate shows their occupations as ‘bakers’. 

In 1849 George and Catherine Sim travelled to Melbourne on board the sailing ship Kent with their three children George jnr, Catherine jnr and Stephen. 

In Melbourne George worked as a baker in Fitzroy and also ran a cartage business sending goods to the Ballarat goldfields. In Melbourne they had four more children Mary, Isabella, Albert and Jessie who all died within twelve months of being born except for Jessie who lived until 1949. 

In 1854 the family returned to England where George Sim sold off some family property and stayed only for a year before returning to Box Hill in 1855. With the proceeds of the English properties, he bought 88 acres of land in Box Hill between 1856 and 1857. This land was bounded by Harrow St to the north; Sims Rd (named after the Sim family and now known as Station St), to the west, Albion Rd to the south and Bedford St to the west. On this land he built the Sim’s families first home in Box Hill and named it Mona Vale. The property had an artificial lake, with ducks and swans, offices, stables orchard, vineyard and a return carriageway onto Sims Rd. 

Around 1886 George Sim sold Mona Vale to another early Box Hill settler Robert Sutton who renamed it Ashted House; Ashted Road was named after Ashted House. George Sim also bought land on what is now known as Station St near Oxford St and opened a general store. Catherine Sim was a regular church goer as well as Sunday school teacher at the Wesleyan Church on Whitehorse Rd.  

In March 1882 George Sim sold 15 allotments along Sims Rd and another 27 blocks and with the proceeds of this George built a villa in 1883 and named it Albion - after which Albion Rd is named - the house is still there at 50 Albion Rd. It was built to the design of William Ellingworth, another early settler in Box Hill who was also a Real Estate agent and Box Hill Councillor. The builders of the house were Thomas Linsley and Harry Williams who had an office on Station St (near Bank St) in Box Hill. The house has a Council Heritage Overlay and is listed with the National Trust.

George Sim commissioned his son in law John R Daley to build a double storey house at 29 Albion Rd which was completed in 1888. The house was named Banff after the county of Banffshire in Scotland where George Sim was born. The house has a Council Heritage Overlay but it is not listed with the National Trust and is not on the Victorian Heritage Register, it must be considered for registration with these organisations to better protect it.

George Sim snr died at Albion in 1890.

Below is an article from The Reporter - Box Hill newspaper that was written after George Sim’s death in regards to the contribution he made to the early development of Box Hill. 

DEATH OF MR. GEORGE SIM, -Sen..

We regret having to record the death of Mr. Geo. Sim, sen, which occurred at his residence, Albion road, Box Hill, on Sunday week last. Mr. Sim was an old colonist, having arrived in the colony about forty years ago. He has resided in this district nearly the whole of that time. Though Mr. Sim did not take an active interest in local politics, he was always interested in the progress of the district, and did what he could in his own private and unassuming way to advance it. His private life was of such a nature that it may be truly said of him that he "was the friend of all and the enemy of none”. He was kind and benevolent in his manner, and took a delight in relieving distress and ministering words of kindness to those who were less fortunate in life’s struggle than he was. The good which he did was known to none but himself, and those upon whom he conferred benefits. Having been a wise and judicious man of business, and having also expended his capital in prudent undertakings he had amassed a considerable amount of property, upon which he lived during the later years of his life.

At the time of his death he had reached the ripe age of 75. It was to be expected that a man who had passed the allotted three score years and ten would naturally feel the infirmities of age, and this was the case with Mr. Sim. For some time previous to his death he was confined to his room suffering from the breaking up of the system, and an acute attack of pneumonia intervening he calmly passed away, surrounded by his grown up family, on Friday week last. His remains were interred in the Box Hill cemetery on Sunday, the 26th ult. The deceased gentleman was the father of

Mr. Geo. Sim, merchant, of Surrey hills, and Mrs. S. Aspinall and Mrs. J R. Daley, of Box Hill.

A year after her husband’s death, Catherine Sim commissioned her son in law John R Daley to build a double storey house at what is now 40 Albion Rd which was completed in 1892 and is still there. Catherine named this house Turriff after the town in Scotland where her husband George Sim was born. The house has a Council Heritage Overlay but it is not listed with the National Trust and is not on the Victorian Heritage Register, it must be considered for registration with these organisations to better protect it.

Catherine Sim snr. died at Turriff in 1908.

Below is an article from The Reporter Box Hill newspaper that was written after Catherine Sim snr’s death in regards to the contribution she made to the early development of Box Hill. 

Death of Mrs Sim

Another of the very old residents of the Box Hill district-Mrs Catherine Sim- "crossed the bar" on Friday morning, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs S. Aspinall, in Albion road. Mrs Sim's maiden name was Catherine Sweetland, and she was born in London on July 14th, 1823. At the time of her death her age was 84 years and 11 months. In 1843 she was wedded to Mr Geo Sim, and six years later (in 1849) they left the home land together to try their fortunes in this colony. On that occasion they remained in Victoria for five years, and in the year 1854 they returned. For only one year they stayed "home," however, and in 1854 once more their faces were turned to Australia's shores, and landing in Victoria, came to Box Hill. 

They shared life's vicissitudes together, seeing the steady progress of the district from a most primitive stage, until 18 years ago death claimed Mr Sim, and Mrs Sim spent the remainder of her long life here. She was a resident of Box Hill for 53 years. Mr and Mrs Sim first settled in what is now Station Street, which in the early days was known after their name as Sim's road. Mrs Sim took a great interest in church matters, and in her more active days was for a number of years a Sunday school teacher in connection with the old Wesleyan church in White Horse road. She leaves a family of three — Mr G. Sim, of Surrey Hills; Mrs S. Aspinall, of Box Hill; and Mrs J.R. Daley, of Bendigo. The funeral took place on Saturday, the remains being laid to rest in the Boroondara cemetery, near those of her late husband. The Rev. Joseph Nicholson conducted a short service at the home, and the service at the cemetery was conducted by the Rev. J.J. Brown. Mr Padbury had charge of the funeral arrangements.

John R Daley and Jessie Sim 

John R Daley was a builder/contractor who constructed many of Box Hill’s late 19th century buildings some of which are still standing today – these include Banff and Turriff. He also made significant contributions to the built heritage of Bendigo, Elwood, St Kilda, Brighton and Rippon Lea, yet he is unknown in Whitehorse. 

In 1862 John R Daley was born at Sandhurst (Bendigo) to Charles and Martha Daley (nee Studdy). In 1855 Charles and Martha Daley had travelled from Birkenhead, England to Portland, Victoria on board the sailing ship Athletae. On the ships passenger list Charles’s occupation is listed as ‘joiner’ (carpenter). By 1857 the family were living at Sandhurst (Bendigo) where their daughter Elizabeth was born.

In 1867 the family were living in Mitchell St in Sandhurst. Charles’ occupation is still listed as ‘carpenter’ and seems to have a growing and thriving business as in 1870 he placed a notice in the Bendigo Advertiser stating:

‘To Carriers or Teamsters. Tenders Wanted for carting about Forty Tons from Whroo to Sandhurst. Apply to C. Daley, carpenter, Mitchell-street’. 

Whroo is a now abandoned goldmining town 85kms east of Bendigo.

It appears that Charles could not pay his debts as in August 1876 under the title ‘new insolvents’ The Age newspaper mentions; 

‘Charles Daley, of Sandhurst, carpenter. Causes of insolvency - Losses by bad debts and contracts, and want of remunerative employment. Liabilities 1,047.7ss. 10d; assets, 288 5s; deficiency, 759 2s 10d. Mr John Hasker, assignee’. 

And in September 1876 a notice in the Bendigo Advertiser mentions; 

‘This day, corner allotment of land and comfortable cottage. In the Insolvent Estate of Charles Daly. L. Macpherson and Co. (instructed by Jno Hasker, Esq, official assignee) will sell by auction at their Bazaar, at two o’clock. Allotment 3, section 60c, having frontages of 66 feet to Mitchell-street and 165 feet to Gladstone -street, on which stands a weatherboard cottage, corrugated iron roof, containing five rooms, exclusive of bath -room; also, large carpenters’ shop, zinc roof at back, garden in front, picket fence, large yard, close paling fence. One hundred and fifty pounds of the purchase- money can remain on mortgage at eight percent. Terms at sale’.

Charles Daley died in 1903 in Bendigo.

Charles’ son John followed in his father’s footsteps into the building industry and became a ‘builder/contractor’ working in Bendigo and later Box Hill. 

In July 1884 John placed an advertisement in The Age newspaper ‘Carpenter, good, no other need apply. Daley, builder, Box Hill’. This maybe the first advertisement that John Daley placed when he started working in Box Hill. The very concise straightforward nature of this advertisement probably says something about John Daley’s attitude and personality as well as how he went about his business.

In May 1885 John Daley married Jessie Sim at Albion (now 50 Albion Rd, Box Hill) which was the family home of Jessie’s parents in Albion Rd, Box Hill (Albion Rd is named after the Sim family home). John and Jessie had seven children – Arthur, Clarice, Claude, Ruby, John, Albert and George. Five of the children survived but in 1886 their first child Arthur passed away in Box Hill at three and half months old and their second last child Albert died at the age of three years in 1901 in Bendigo. 

John’s building business seems to be growing as in 1885 John placed advertisements for selling houses in Box Hill as well as an advertisement for Tenders for a job. 

For example, 

• ‘Box Hill - For sale, W.B. Villa, new, 6 rooms, bathroom, scullery, &c. land 66 x 212, 5 minutes from station, £650. Apply J R Daley, builder Box Hill’ 
• ‘Tenders wanted for tuckpointing two villas, Box Hill. J. R. Daley, builder.’
• ‘Box Hill – Weatherboard Villa, 9 rooms, every convenience: land, 66 x 214, near station: £660. J. R. Daley’

John’s building business seems to continue to prosper as in 1887 John placed advertisements for a number of projects in Box Hill and other areas. 

For example,

• in November in The Age newspaper mentions ‘Bricklayers – Laborer, good. Daley’s job, Canterbury Station’. I have been unable to find out what John Daley built at the Canterbury railway station and further investigation is required.
• also, in November ‘Joiner, good. Wanted. Apply job, Riversdale rd., off Glenferrie rd, Hawthorn J.R. Daley, builder’.
• in December in The Age newspaper mentions ‘Box Hill – Ten-roomed      weatherboard Villa, every convenience, five minutes station. Daley, builder, Box Hill’.
• ‘Bricklayers, - tenders for Brick Work, labor only, two storey residence, Burwood-road, Camberwell. Apply on job. Daley. Builder’. 
• ‘Carpenter, three, good, wanted, Riversdale -rd, Glenferrie. Apply on job, Daley, builder’.

As already mentioned, George Sim commissioned his son in law John Daley to build a double storey house at 29 Albion Rd which was completed in 1888. The house was named Banff after the county of Banffshire in Scotland where George Sim was born.

In 1889 Lots were being sold as part of the Hopetoun Estate Box Hill   subdivision which was located between Hopetoun Pde, Thurston St, Brougham St and Elgar Rd in Box Hill. 

Also, in 1889 Councillor Dyer retired as the ‘councillor’ for the Centre Riding (Box Hill) in the Shire of Nunawading and John Daley and S. Cooke ran as candidates for this Centre Riding. Voting took place in 1890 but John was unsuccessful - losing by only 24 votes. 

In 1890 John Daley again placed advertisements in The Age newspaper for ‘tuck pointers’ and ‘Bricklayers’ for ‘two large houses Hopetoun Estate, Box Hill, Apply on job, Daley, Builder’. On the subdivision sales flyer it shows Lot 31 Hopetoun Pde (now 15 Hopetoun Pde) and mentions ‘Brick villa now building’ (the house is still there). The second house at Lots 61 and 62 Carrington Rd (now 109 -111 Carrington Rd) mentions ‘Brick two story house Now Building’ (the house was demolished in 2014). Could these houses have been built by John Daley? I have been unable to find out the location of the advertised houses and further investigation is required.

Also, in 1890 John advertised for sale ‘four houses 7 and 5 rooms with every convenience’.

In 1890 John was commissioned by his mother-in-law Catherine Sim to build Banff at 29 Albion Rd, Box Hill.

Between 1890 and 1891 John Daley built a row of double storey shops on the western side of Station St near the railway station in Box Hill which he named the Daley Buildings. The building contained a Butcher, Ladies Nurse, Grocer and a Corn dealership as well as John having an office there. 

In 1891 there were three vacancies for the position of ‘councillor’ with the Shire of Nunawading. Five candidates ran for election - John R Daley, William Ellingworth, Alfred Serpell, Squire Aspinall and G.V. Blackburn. This time John Daley came third and was elected as a ‘councillor’ with the Shire of Nunawading. 

The Box Hill newspaper The Reporter in August 1891 mentions:

‘Mr J.R. Daley, who was third on the list, is a gentleman who has a large interest in the shire, and he has always endeavoured to further the interests of Box Hill. In placing him in the council the ratepayers have acted wisely, and from what we know of Mr. Daley we are quite certain that they will have no reason to regret the confidence they have placed in that gentleman, who is so well qualified to discharge the duties of a councillor’.

John was obviously deeply involved in many aspects of the Box Hill Community as in 1892 the Box Hill Cricket Club offered him the position of ‘officer’ of the club which he accepted. 

In 1891 shop advertisements for the rent in the Daley Buildings was 25 shillings, but by 1893 the rental cost was only 10 shillings. It appears that John was having difficulty in renting out his shops and this may have been due to the 1890s depression. The 1890s depression in Australia occurred after the land boom bubble of the 1880’s burst. This was exacerbated by a severe drought that affected much of Australia from 1895 to 1903. Overseas investment had dried up, banks failed and unemployment soared. People left the cities of the east for the new goldfields of Western Australia.

From approximately 1891 to 1893 John advertised for sale two double storey shops that were part of the Daley Buildings.

John was commissioned by his mother-in-law Catherine Sim to build a double storey house on the present site at 40 Albion Rd. The house was completed in 1892 and named Turriff after the town where his father-in-law George Sim was born. The house is located to the east of Banff on the southern side of Albion Rd in Box Hill and is still there today.

In 1893 John resigned from his position as ‘councillor’ from the Shire of Nunawading and sailed to Cape town, South Africa onboard the steam ship Port Pirie looking for opportunities.

In an article in The Reporter - Box Hill in July 1893 mentions: 

‘On Wednesday last our respected townsman, Cr. J. R Daley, sailed from Victoria for Cape Town in the “Port Pirie.” Owing to the depressed times, business in his line of occupation has been very dull, and he, like many others, has had to seek pastures new. All our readers will join us in wishing Cr. Daley “Success in his new sphere of labor’.

I have been unable to find anything about his travels to South Africa or when John returned to Victoria, but his daughter Ruby was born in Bendigo on 20th February 1895, so I assume he arrived back in Australia in 1894.

In 1896 John built the family home on the corner of Mitchell and Palmerstone St’s, Bendigo and named it Avondale. The house is still there and it has been beautifully restored. It was for sale in February, 2024. You can view the house here: 

145 Mitchell Street, Bendigo, Vic 3550 - House for Sale - realestate.com.au

In 1906 John built another family home on Carpenter St in Bendigo and named it Turriff - the family lived there for approximately five years. The Victorian Premier Sir Albert Dunstan bought the house in 1927 and lived there until the 1940’s.

In this same year John and Jessie Daley's son Claude joined the family firm as an ‘apprentice’. 

The Daley family decide to sell Banff by placing an advertisement for the sale of the house in The Reporter - Box Hill in October 1909. This advertisement mentions:

‘Box Hill, - Daley, Albion rd.- Two story brick residence, 10 rooms, splendid position, real bargain, £1100, easy terms’. 

The last advertisement for the sale of the house appeared in June 1910. 

Banff was not sold at this time and the Banff Ladies College continued operating from the house throughout this time. 

By 1911 John and his family were living in Selwyn Ave, Elwood.

In 1912 John built the Majestic Mansions apartment building on Fitzroy St, St Kilda which is one of the earliest apartment developments in Melbourne and is still surviving in St. Kilda. John and Jessie’s son Claude later became ‘manager’ of the families Majestic Mansions apartment building on Fitzroy St, St Kilda. 

In Terry Sawyer’s report titled ‘Residential Flats in Melbourne - The Development of a Building Type to 1950’ he mentions: 

‘another example of basic flat plans occurred at Majestic flats at St. Kilda of 1912 which had the external appearance of a multi storey terrace house. The flats were designed by their builder J.R. Daley who was reputed to have disliked architects and never employed them’.

John then went on to build the Banff, Regal, and Waldorf apartment buildings also in St. Kilda

In 1914 John built a two-storey 10 roomed mansion on the corner of The Esplanade and Beach Ave in Elwood (later becoming 61 Ormond Esplanade) and named it Turriff after his wife Jessies family home at 40 Albion Rd, Box Hill. The house was designed in a similar style to the family home at 40 Albion Rd. and the family moved into this house around 1915. 

Back in Box Hill Jessie Daley in 1914 put Banff and 13 vacant allotments up for sale. These included Banff in Albion Rd, one allotment near the southeastern corner of the Box Hill Gardens and two vacant allotments on the northwestern corner of Edinburgh and Stanley St’s, Box Hill South amongst others.

The sales flyer mentions: 

‘Banff, Albion St. near Station St. 8 min. Walk from Railway Station. Fine Family Residence, 2-Storey, containing 10 Good Rooms, Vestibule, Hall 7 feet wide, Large Bathroom, Marble Mantel, Corniced Ceilings, Tiled Verandah, Balcony Commands Fine Views, Dry Cellarage, Stable, Coach-house, Gas throughout, Yan Yean, Lawn Hedges, Fruit Tress. A well Built & Comfortable Home, just lately renovated’. Also ‘On Lot 8 is erected a Large Brick Room, formerly used by owner of ‘Banff’ as a Billiard Room, built so that additions could be easily made’. 

The ‘billiard room’ appears to have been located at what is now 36 Albion Rd. The ‘billiard room’ may have been added to later for this house on the site was demolished between 1970 and 1975.

In 1915 John built, owned and rented six shops in Ripponlea (Cnr Hotham St and Glen Eira Rd). These shops are still there.

In 1916 the Prahran Chronicle reported on a St Kilda Council meeting stating:

‘Mr Daley had put up buildings at Ripponlea and other places which are bringing in much revenue to the council. No man has done more for the progress of the district’. 

Daley St in Elwood was named after John R Daley.

In 1932 the Racecourse Hotel in Werribee was destroyed by fire and by 1934 it was rebuilt and owned by John Daley.

During the 1920s and 1930s John Daley and his son John jnr. built over a hundred homes in Brighton, Elwood and St Kilda.

John Daley snr. died in 1937 and Jessie Daley died in 1949 both at Turriff in Elwood. 

After John Daley’s death, his business appears to have been continued by John jnr until c1940 but no notices or advertisements about the business appear. 

By the early 1940s John Jnr was living in Olinda at his home Kenloch. 

What happened to the Daley children?

• Ruby Daley lived at Turriff (Elwood) until her death in 1976 and the house     was sold a year later. It was demolished in the mid 1980’s and apartments built on the land.
• Claude Daley continued managing the Majestic Mansions until c1972 and died at his home in Black Rock in 1974. 
• John Daley jnr. continued working as a ‘builder’ until his death in 1971 at the family      home Turriff in Elwood. 
• George Daley continued working as a ‘farmer’ until his death in Benalla in 2000. 

Clarice Daley – the daughter of John and Jessie Daley 

John and Jessie Daley’s daughter Clarice Daley was born in Box Hill in 1889. In 1915 Clarice Daley enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service, she had completed three years Nurse training at the Melbourne Hospital. Before enlisting Clarice and Ernest Lawrence had intended to get married but her father disapproved of the union as Ernest was a ‘lowly commercial traveler’. 

In May 1915 Clarice sailed from Melbourne to England aboard the Mooltan, but the ship was diverted to the island of Lemnos for the coming Gallipoli campaign.  Clarice and the other nurses arrived on Lemnos on August 8 and served in the 3rdAustralian General Hospital. 

Lemnos was the main base during the Gallipoli campaign as well as the location of the field hospitals since it was close to Gallipoli. Along with British and Canadian hospitals, two Australian field hospitals were erected here – the 2ndAustralian Stationary and 3rd Australian General Hospitals. The hospitals on Lemnos would care for over 100,000 Allied casualties. 

Ernest Lawrence was born in Horsham in 1887; he was the son of Frederick and Sophia Lawrence (nee Comfort). Ernest was a ‘commercial traveller’ and lived in Elsternwick when he enlisted in August 1914. His enlistment papers list him as a ‘Private’ and by December 1915 he had reached the rank of ‘Sergeant Major’ in the 1stLight Horse Brigade Headquarters. 

In May 1915 Ernest was sent to Gallipoli and by July 1915 he was admitted to the nearby 2ndAustralian General Hospital on Lemnos, it was there that he and Clarice Daley were reunited. In October 1915 among the Allied soldiers, Clarice and Ernest were married; their marriage was one of only a few WW1 weddings known to have taken place in the field. There is a famous photo that is held at the National War Memorial in Canberra of the newlyweds on Lemnos walking through a guard of honour. 

According to Army regulations, Army nurses could not be married. Yet Clarice was not discharged immediately and continued to serve until the hospitals were evacuated from Lemnos after the Gallipoli campaign had finished.

Clarice arrived in Alexandria in Egypt on January 27, 1916, aboard the Oxfordshire. On the February 9, 1916, she boarded the HT Nestor and arrived in Melbourne on 13 March 1916, she was discharged from the Army on July 31st, 1916.

While Clarice returned to Australia, Ernest was transferred to Egypt and joined the 4th Light Horse Brigade. In October 1917 the 4th Light Horse Brigade took part in the attack on the town of Beersheba which it is thought to be the last successful cavalry charge. It ended with the capture of that town.

In 1919 Ernest returned to Melbourne aboard the Barambah. 

Clarice and Ernest Lawrence lived in Docker St, Elwood, just four streets from Clarice’s parent’s John and Jessie Daley’s home on Ormond Esplanade, Elwood. 

Ernest and Clarice had four children - Peggy, Jack, Robert and Joan.

Ernest Lawrence died in 1933 aged 46 and Clarice Lawrence died in 1944 aged 53, both were buried together at the St Kilda Cemetery. 

A memorial was commissioned by the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee and created by Australian sculptor Peter Corlett OAM. The memorial is dedicated to Anzac nurses and soldiers who served and who were buried on Lemnos in 1915. It was installed in Lemnos Square, Albert Park in 2015. 

THE TAYLOR SISTERS

The Taylor sisters were the next residents of Banff.

Louisa Taylor was born in 1862 and Constance Taylor was born in 1871 both in Fitzroy and were the children of Frederick and Caroline Taylor (nee Piggott). Louisa and Constance had four other siblings - Fanny, Grace, Winifred and Frederick jnr.

Frederick Taylor snr. was born in 1829 in Greenfield, England. In 1848 he sailed onboard the Aurora from Plymouth, England to Port Henry in Geelong, his occupation on the passenger was listed as ‘bricklayer’. I have been unable to find any information about Caroline Taylor (nee Piggott). 

Later Frederick Taylor’s occupation was listed as ‘shopkeeper’ and his shop was located o n Bunbury St in Footscray. 

He was a member of the Victorian Operative Bricklayer’s Society; the Society was established in 1856 and was an early party to the ‘eight-hour a day work movement’. 

He was also a member of the Court Pride of Northcote - Ancient Order of Forester’s. The Ancient Order of Foresters, originated in England in the mid-1700s and established its first branch (Court) in Victoria in 1849. The Order was set up as a non-profit organisation, the founding principles being to provide financial and social benefits as well as support to members and their families in times of unemployment, sickness, death, disability and old age. The Society is now known as the Foresters Friendly Society and in July 1999 was incorporated as a public company. 

Frederick Taylor snr. was admitted to the Ararat Mental Asylum in March 1887 where he died in April 1887.

In 1889 Mrs Mary E. Newton as ‘principal’ opened and operated a ‘High School’ from a house on the northern side of Ashted Rd in Box Hill and then later a Mrs A J Newton became ‘principal’.

In recent heritage reports and newspaper advertisements and articles from the early 1890s a Mrs A J Newton and Mrs Mary E Newton are mentioned in regards to the ‘Girls High School’ in Box Hill. I was curious to learn about them and found that Mrs A J Newton was the sister-in-law of Mrs Mary E Newton (nee Hutchinson). 

Mary E Hutchinson was born in Athby, Ireland in 1860 - the daughter of Rev. William Hutchinson and Abby Hutchinson (nee Shields). She accompanied her parents when the family came to Australia and New Zealand as Missionaries for the Church of England. 

After travelling between Australia and New Zealand a number of times the Hutchinson family finally returned to Victoria in 1866 when Mary was six years old.

In November 1885 Mary’s father Rev. William Hutchinson died and is mentioned in The Church of England Messenger and Ecclesiastical Gazette for the Diocese of Melbourne and Ballarat:

‘after coming out to Australia, at the insistence of Bishop Perry, he held the Locum-tenancy of Belfast during Archdeacon Braim’s absence in England. Afterwards he accepted mission-work in New Zealand. On his return to Victoria he obtained the incumbency of Barrabool Hills, which he left for Alexandra, in which he remained seven years. In January, 1884, he transferred to Mansfield, where his earnest ministration and assiduous labour soon increased the congregation, where his loss will be severely felt. ‘’ Of a genial and generous disposition,’’ writes the Mansfield Courier,’’ an unwearying visitor to the sick chamber, with cheery word for the afflicted or distressed, and an honest worker in the ministry to which had given his life’

In January 1885 Mary E Hutchinson married Alfred Newton in Mansfield, Victoria and they had one child - a son named Harold in Cooma NSW.

After only two years of marriage Alfred Newton died in 1887 aged 42 at the Melbourne Hospital. 

Mary may have moved to Box Hill soon after her husband’s death, as it was mentioned in The Reporter – Box Hill that in 1889 Mrs. Mary E. Newton and her sister-in-law Mrs A J Newton opened the ‘Girls High School’ in Ashted Rd, Box Hill. Mary was the ‘Principal’ at the time but Mrs. A.J. Newton later became ‘Principal’.

Mary E. Newton appears for the first time in the Sands and McDougall 1890 directory as living on the northern side of Ashted Rd in Box Hill. Mrs A J Newtons name (Mary’s sister-in-law and Alfred’s sister) does not appear in the directory in Ashted Rd. 

In an 1890 article in The Reporter - Box Hill mentions that a ‘master Newton’ was one of the actors in the school play. Did Mary’s son Harold attend the school? The school most likely operated from Mary’s home in Ashted Rd, as there were no schools or large buildings elsewhere in the street at this time. 

Mrs Alice J Newton was born in Alberton, Victoria in 1857 she was the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Newton (nee Martin). I have been unable to find much information about Alice, but she lived in Carlton from 1895 to 1900 and from 1900 to 1911 in Fitzroy. Alice died in 1911 and was buried in the town of Alberton where her father Edward Thomas Newton had been one of its earliest settler’s. 

I did find is a fascinating story of her father Edward Thomas Newton and the early history of Melbourne. Below are excerpts from a family history that was compiled by a descendant Janice Newton titled No Looking Back: Edward Thomas Newton, Early Settler of Port Phillip (1813-1882) she mentions: 

‘It is almost certain, then, that E T Newton was not with John Batman when the latter first sailed to Port Phillip in 1835 with three male servants and 7 to 8 Sydney Aborigines, marking the site for Melbourne and attempting to make a treaty with the Aboriginal leaders. At this time, Edward Thomas was based in Launceston, starting a business and being allocated a servant.

At some time in the next year, 1837, Edward Thomas began to work for John Batman. John Howe reports that in March 1837 ET was working for Batman on his sheep station at Deep Creek, about 15-20 miles from Maribyrnong, on the Saltwater (Maribyrnong) River. On 1 November 1837 he was able to purchase single block number, lot 14 at auction for £35 at the second Melbourne land sale. The area XX1 was bounded on the west by Elizabeth St, on the south by Bourke St, and on the east by Swanston St, and north by Lonsdale St.

In May 1839 at age 39 John Batman died. His ‘friends’ Lonsdale and Simpson, quickly withdrew from the task of dealing with a shambolic array of businesses with a dearth of documentation, leaving the task to 26 year old ET Newton, Batman’s manager/accountant and P W Welsh, a successful merchant. Throughout 1839, while his own insolvency was still being finalised in Launceston, ET attempted a task, historians now judge may have been beyond him. ET and Welsh regularly placed notices about claims on Batman’s Estate and the fact that no debts were to be made in Batman’s name. A weatherboard cottage and allotments on Batman’s Hill were put up for sale. On his own or John Batman’s Estate’s behalf he advertised for sale Van Diemen’s Land flour, seed oats and bran, a draught horse, with harness and cart, the schooner Gem for charter or passage to Port Adelaide.’

In 1891 Mary E Newton and Mrs A J Newton sold the goodwill of the school in Ashted Rd. Box Hill to sisters Louisa and Constance Taylor. 

In 1892 Louisa and Constance Taylor leased Banff from Catherine Sim, the widow of George Sim and opened the Banff Ladies College. According to records Louisa Taylor’s occupation was listed as ‘Teacher’ and Constance was listed as ‘Music Teacher’. Their two other sisters Fanny and Grace Taylor also lived at Banff and their occupations were listed as ‘Home Duties’. 

The school was run by Louisa as ‘Headmistress’ with Constance as ‘Music Teacher’. There were other teachers who worked at the school including Miss Southern who taught painting, Miss Godwin Smith who taught elocution and Miss Fanny Charlesworth who taught singing. Other subjects that were taught at the school included arithmetic, history, grammar, geography and writing. A regular feature of Banff Ladies College calendar was the yearly speech night and Principals report which were reported in The Reporter Box Hill newspapers. 

By 1895 a George Cumpston was living in the house in Ashted Rd where Mary E Newton used to live. He was the brother of Samuel B Cumpston who founded The Reporter - Box Hill newspaper and was the owner of a real estate business S. B. Cumpston and Co in Box Hill. 

In 1896 Mary Newton was living in Bathurst, NSW where she operated the Wyoming Lodge, a school for girls. 

In December 1902 an article titled A Sad Christmas Tree in The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate mentions ‘A very sad accident happened on Christmas night at the residence of Mr. W.J. Clunies Ross, Science master at the Technical College, Bathurst. The members of the family were celebrating Christmas, and Mrs. Mary E. Newton, the principal of Wyoming Private Ladies School, was enacting the part of Father Christmas, for which she was appropriately garbed with a profusion of cotton wool all over her dress. Whilst she was handling the presents from the tree to the young people, her dress caught fire, and the flames spread with such rapidity that before they could be extinguished the unfortunate lady had sustained injuries of so severe a character that she succumbed at an early hour on Friday’. Mary was buried in Bathurst. 

At the time of his mother’s death Harold was working at The Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP) in Bathurst. He later moved to Sydney to live and worked as a ‘clerk’ at The Australian Mutual Provident Society(AMP) in Pitt St.

Around 1911 the Banff Ladies College moved from Albion Rd to Rutland Rd, Box Hill where according to the School Register of 1912 Louisa Taylor was the Proprietor and Head Mistress; the school remained in Rutland Rd until c.1920.

What happened to the Taylor sisters?

• Grace Taylor died aged 36 in Box Hill in 1904 
• Constance Taylor was admitted to the Kew Asylum in July 1915, and she died there in August 1915 aged 44 
• Fanny died aged 77 in St Kilda in 1934 
• Winifred was admitted to the Kew Asylum in 1911 and released in 1923, she died aged 72 in Northcote in 1946
• Louisa Taylor was admitted to the Kew Asylum in 1911 and lived there until she was released in 1923; she died in 1948 aged 96

Records of the Box Hill Cemetery show that over a 44-year period all of the Taylor sisters were buried there. 

Solomon Jaboor

Solomon Jaboor and his family were the next residents of Banff.

Solomon Jaboor was born in Mt Lebanon in Syria in 1871, the son of Murad Dahir Jaboor and Saada Khuriarty. He studied at the American Presbyterian Missionary School and later worked there as a ‘teacher’. In 1891 he travelled from Aden in what is now Yemen onboard the steam ship S.S. Yarra to Melbourne. In Melbourne, Solomon worked as a ‘clerk’ in Exhibition St and because he was fluent in English as well as being a Christian, Solomon was invited to run missionary services for the local community of Syrian background in Melbourne.

By 1894 Solomon was living at 274 Exhibition St, Melbourne and applied for Australian citizenship. 

In a report titled Research Essay - Solomon Morad Jaboor written by Dhevarajan Devadas it is mentioned: 

‘In 1894, Jaboor applied for naturalization and submitted three references to support his application. The Methodist minister and social reformer AR Edgar wrote that Jaboor was “in every respect worthy of being acknowledged as a British subject”. Edgar also pointed to his education from Church missionaries in Syria as a positive point. Another minister at the Presbyterian Church of Parkville praised Jaboor for his strong command of English and religious knowledge, writing that he was confident that Jaboor would be a “loyal British subject and Victorian citizen’. 

Solomons application for naturalisation was granted in 1895.

In 1895 Soloman Jaboor and Massouk Sedawie were married in Melbourne. Massouk Sedawie was born in 1875 in Beyrouth in Syria she was the daughter of Zahakoor Sedawie and Mary Khouri. I have been unable to find any information in regard to when his wife Massouk Sedawie arrived in Australia. In Melbourne, Solomon and Massouk had 7 children – Hannah, Alice, Phillip, Aileen, Mabel, Doris and Roy. 

Around 1900 Solomon Jaboor and Marm Deem formed a partnership and created the firm of Solomon Jaboor and Deem. The firm were importers and manufacturers and was located at 76 -78 Londsdale St, Melbourne. 

As well running a business, Solomon also worked as an immigration agent assisting people from Syria, India and other counties to immigrate to Australia. Once in Australia many of these new immigrants continued the tradition of their countries of origin by starting a small business - there were no government support services available at this time. 

Syria was invaded by the Ottoman Turks in the sixteenth century and it became a province of the Ottoman Empire. Under Ottoman rule, all Syrian emigrants were issued with Turkish documents, regardless of their regional, linguistic or religious origins. This meant that early Syrian immigrants to Australia were classified as ‘Turks’ even when many of them were not of Turkish origin.

Syrian immigration to Australia began over 150 years ago with a few individuals and small groups arrived in Australia in the 1870s. At that time, Syrians migrating to Australia may have included Syrian Christians persecuted by the Ottomans. It was not until the late 1880s and early 1890s that Syrians began arriving in sufficient numbers to be noted in the colonial census. As officials became aware of internal differences among ‘Turks’, they began categorising immigrants on the basis of their region of origin. This made it possible to distinguish ‘Syrians’ from other ‘Turkish’ immigrants.

Among the early migrants from Syria were Jews, Copts, Greeks, Armenians, and Lebanese from the province of Greater Syria. At the time, all those coming from Syria were called ‘Syrians’ even though the majority may have been Lebanese.

In 1908 Solomon and his family were living in Springfield Rd, Box Hill as Solomon and two other residents are mentioned in the meeting minutes of the Nunawading Shire Council as ‘drawing attention to the very bad state of Springfield road, from Bushy creek to Middleborough road’.

Also, in the same year the Woodhouse Grove Methodist school held its Anniversary celebrations. As part of these celebrations there was a number of songs and recitals performed by the school children. The children of brothers Solomon and Faris Jaboor took part in these celebrations. In an article in The Reporter – Box Hill it is mentioned: 

‘several action songs which were heartily cheered, an reflected a great credit on Miss Jaboor who undertook the training of the juvenile performers’. ‘A song “The Little Clock”, given by two tiny performers of four years, Miss Ida Fithie and Miss Mary Jaboor, was received with great applause’. “The Dolly’s Picnic”, E. Jaboor’; recitation, “Granpa’s Spectacles.” A. Jaboor’. Recitations by P. Horner, M. Aspinall, E. Cameron and T. Jaboor’.

In 1909 Solomon and Massouk’s son Roy was born in Box Hill.

In August 1910 a banquet was held in Melbourne to celebrate the new Constitutional Government in Turkey. The banquet was reported in The Advertiser - Adelaide and mentions:

‘There was a distinguished company present, including many Federal and State members, the foreign consuls and leading professional and business men’.  ‘Speeches on the various toasts were delivered by Mr. J. M. Fawaz and Mr. S.M. Jaboor. Syrian merchants, besides several others. The theme of the addresses was that the stigma of associating Syrians with prohibited Oriental races should be removed by the Commonwealth. In an American superior court recently, it had been ruled that this brand of inferiority should not be applied to Syrians. It was hoped that a similar view of the law would yet prevail in this country. The concession should be justified on historical and other grounds’.

Also, in November 1910 a banquet was held at the Adelaide Town Hall to celebrate the new Ottoman Constitution. It was attended by the Turkish Consul for New South Wales Mr Esper Bey Nassoor, the Governor of South Australia Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet GCVO KCB, members of the State government, interstate dignitaries and business leaders, the President of the Ottoman Society of South Australia Mr S J Attiah and the President of the Ottoman Society of Victoria Solomon Jaboor. At the banquet Solomon Jaboor gave a speech that was reported in The Advertiser – Adelaide: 

‘In submitting “our guest”, Mr. S Jaboor (president of the Ottoman Society of Victoria) said they were gratified at the representative nature of the gathering, and the courtesy of the guests in cordially accepting the invitations issued showed that they recognised a white man as such, irrespective of his country, and that worthy citizenship did not depend on a man’s birthplace, but very much upon his personality and his social and moral position in the community (Applause). He was a Syrian by birth, a Britisher by naturalisation, and an Australian by rights of citizenship for the last score of years.’

By 1912 directory records show that Solomon Jaboor was living at 29 Albion Rd, Box Hill. His partnership in the firm of Jaboor and Marm Deem had been dissolved, Solomon continued to run the business under the name of Solomon Jaboor. 

In 1912 the Ottoman Association held an Anniversary Banquet to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the Ottoman Constitution at the Exhibition Buildings in Adelaide. Three hundred guests attended the Banquet including the Prime Minister of Australia the Right Honourable Andrew Fisher, the Governor of South Australia Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet GCVO KCB, the Mayor of Adelaide Mr Livingston Booythou, the Ottoman Consul General of Australia Dr. Col. Charles Ryan, the President of the Ottoman Association of Australia Mr S J Attiah and the President of the Ottoman Society of Victoria Mr. Solomon Jaboor.

In 1914 Britain declared war on Turkey and in an article in The Advertiser – Adelaide newspaper it mentions: 

‘Our Melbourne correspondent telegraphed last night: - Mr. T.C. Alston has resigned the office of acting consul-general for Turkey. Mr. S. M. Jaboor, who has for a long time past acted as chancellor to the consulate, has also resigned, as he cannot see his way to continue in the service of a power antagonistic to Great Britain’.

Solomon continued running his business and advocating on behalf of immigrants for many years.

Massouk Jaboor died in 1944 and Solomon Jaboor in 1946 - both died in Hawthorn and are both buried together in the Presbyterian section of the Brighton Cemetery, Caulfield South. 

A notice in The Age newspaper after Solomons death mentions: 

                                          ‘A life of nobleness. – Loving brother Aeneas and family Scoresby’.

The firm that Solomon Jaboor and Marm Deem started around 1900 continued after Solomons death; but the company’s name was changed from S M Jaboor to S M Jaboor and Sons and then later to P Jaboor and A G. The firm was run by Solomon and Massouk’s eldest son Phillip Jaboor until around 1980 after which the company does not appear in directory records. 

Thus, the Jaboor family have a long connection to Box Hill.

Roy Ford Jaboor – the son of Solomon and Massouk Jaboor

He was a highly decorated Australian soldier and was born on Springfield Rd in Box Hill in 1909. 

Roy was educated at Scotch College in Melbourne and later at Melbourne University. In 1924 aged 15 he qualified for the Intermediate Certificate then run by the University of Melbourne.

In 1930 Roy transferred from the Melbourne University Rifles, 4thDivision to the Australian Field Artillery and promoted to the position of Lieutenant (probationary). 

In 1939 Roy enlisted in the Australian Army 2nd AIF where he acknowledged on his enlistment forms that he was already in the Militia/CMF in the 2nd Field Regiment 3rd Battery. 

Roy was a member of the 6th. Division, AIF and was involved in military campaigns the Middle East including Egypt, Greece, Crete then in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) before returning to Australia being sent to New Guinea. He was one of those called the ’Originals’ since he served the whole of WWII from 1939 with the 6th. Division, AIF.

In the 30th December 1941 issue of the London Gazette– Second Supplement Roy Jaboor is listed as being approved by the King to be ‘Mentioned in recognition of distinguished service in the Middle East (including Egypt, Greece and Crete)’.

In September 1942 Roy was also ‘Mentioned in Despatches’.

In February 1946 Roy was awarded an O.B.E - Military Division ‘for meritorious service and outstanding service to duty’. On the citation mentions:

‘For inspiring leadership and devotion during his service with the AIF and in particular, whilst commanding the 2/2 Aust Fd Regt in AITAPE-WEWAK area.

On arrival in the AITAPE area 2/2 Aust Fd Regt was placed in support of 19 Aust Inf Bde Gp, and participated in this Bde’s rapid advance along the coast. Again the relief of 19 Aug Infa Bde Gp, the Regt continued to be in support of 16 Aust In Bde Gp in its rapid advance to the DAGUA Airstrip. Throughout this entire period Lt-Col Jaboor was faced with the most difficult and serious task calling for sound appreciation in order to provide the fullest artillery support to the rapidly advancing troops. The problems involved were the lack of tracks and roads, the many hazardous river crossings and the movement by barge of his guns. Lt-Col Jaboor succeeded in overcoming these difficulties by thorough hard work and was able at all times to keep the guns well forward and thus give the maximum support to the forward troops.

He was untiring in his efforts and was continually forward giving direction and personal supervision to artillery operations. His complete devotion to duty and loyal service and his skilful handling of the Regt has been of a very high order, and has largely contributed to the successful operations to date’.

In September 1945 the war ended and in February 1946 Roy left the army.

In 1947 Roy Jaboor married Nance McKenzie in the Littlejohn Chapel at Scotch College, Hawthorn.

He obviously liked living in Box Hill as by 1950 Roy and Nance were living at 5 Evelina St, Box Hill North where the house still stands- now the area is called Mont Albert North. 

In 1955 Roy and Nance moved to Black Rock and then later in the same year they moved to Beechworth after they had bought the Hotel Nicholas. Later in the year a Royal Childrens Hospital fund-raising football match was held between the Nicholas Hotel and the Star Hotel in Beechworth. 

The two teams consisted of patrons from the Star Hotel in Stanley who were named the ‘Stanley no hopers’ and patrons from the Hotel Nicholas who were named ‘Jaboor’s Boozers’. In an article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser newspaper it mentions: 

‘before the match Roy Jaboor “roasted” his team and threatened dire results if they did not give of their best’.

‘Final scores were Beechworth, 8.7: Stanley, 8.7. After the match Mr Cashmore, of Stanley threw out a further challenge which was accepted by Roy Jaboor. The match is to be played next Sunday’.

In 1968 Roy and Nance moved to Carlton and they still owned the Nicholas Hotel in Beechworth until around 1974. 

Roy Jaboor died in Mornington in 1984.

In 1990 Nance Jaboor ran as a Democrat for the House of Representatives in the Division of Flinders in the 1990 Federal election, but other candidates she was running against were Tony Lamb from the Labour Party and Peter Reith from the Liberal Party. Peter Reith won, Tony Lamb came second, and Nance Jaboor came third. 

Nance Jaboor died in Sorrento in 2015.

Faris and Aneese Jaboor – brothers of Solomon Jaboor.

Aneese M Jaboor

From approximately 1903 to 1909 Aneese Jaboor worked as a photographer under the name of A M Jaboor and his photos appeared in the Weekly Times and Leader newspapers. 

In 1909 Aneese took a number of photos around Box Hill, the captions under these photos read ‘Photos by A M Jaboor, Box Hill’. I have looked in the records to find where Aneese lived in Box Hill but I have been unable to find any. Perhaps he may have lived with one of his brothers Solomon or Faris for a brief time. Aneese later moved to Glen Waverley where his occupation is listed as ‘orchardist’.

Faris Jaboor also known as Frederick Jaboor

Faris Jaboor like his brother Solomon also initially lived on Springfield Rd, Box Hill in 1909. Faris must have liked Box Hill as he is listed in later directories as living on Middleborough Rd and his occupation is listed as ‘orchardist’. In 1903 Faris married his second wife Esther O’Neill in Melbourne. They had three children, two of whom survived, and the youngest surviving daughter Hazel was born in Box Hill. 

Faris Jaboor lived in Box Hill until his death in 1934 and was buried in the Box Hill Cemetery. After her husband Faris’s death’, Esther left Box Hill and lived in Malvern until her death in 1973 but she was also buried in the Box Hill Cemetery. 

Faris left his Middleborough Rd farm/orchard to his son George Jaboor from his first marriage to Mary Sedawie. Faris Jaboor and Mary Sedawie were married in Lebanon around 1890. George died in 1946 and in 1950 the farm was subsequently subdivided, named the Box Hill Heights Estate and sold off. 

THE TYMMS FAMILY

The Tymms family were the next owners of Banff. 

Henry Tymms was born in Islington, England in 1846. He migrated to Australia in 1852 when he was 8 years old with his parents Thomas and Elizabeth Tymms (nee Barham) and younger brother Robert Tymms on board the sailing ship Scindian. 

In 1858 at the age of 12, Henry started working for the Melbourne Postal Department as a ‘messenger’.

In 1866 Henry Tymms married Agnes Petrie in Melbourne. 

Agnes Petrie was born in 1849 in Hipswell, England; she was the daughter of Robert and Hannah Petrie (nee Thwaites). Henry and Agnes Tymms had eight children – Alfred, Francis, Cherie, Miner, George, Henry Jnr, Reginald and Muriel were born in October 1883 but died in April 1884. 

In 1883 Henry was appointed to the position of ‘postmaster’ of the Post and Telegraph Office in Horsham. 

In 1885 Henry Tymms was appointed as one of the commissioners of the Borough of Horsham Waterworks Trust. 

The establishment and management of water supplies in rural areas in the early nineteenth century had been a haphazard affair until Colonial Government intervention in the form of the creation of the Board of Land and Works in 1856 and the passing of the Waterworks Act in 1865, which enabled the formation of the first Waterworks Trusts to provide water supplies to rural towns

In 1889 Henry was promoted to the position of ‘Postal Inspector’ and then in 1895 he was promoted to the position of ‘Chief Inspector’ in the Victorian Postal and Telegraphic Department. 

After Federation in 1901 the Postmaster Generals Department was created to take over all postal and telegraphy services in Australia from the states. The Postmaster Generals Department was later separated into what became known today as Australia Post and Telstra. 

In July 1902 Henry was conducting an inspection tour of the telegraph line between Port Lincoln and Eucla in regard to the amalgamation of the South Australian and West Australian telegraph departments. It seems that there may have been opposition to the amalgamation as there were three attempts on Henry’s life during this inspection tour. The incidents were reported in the Coolgardie Miner newspaper in, July 1902:

An Exciting Trip

‘Mr Tymms, the chief inspector of the Victorian Postal Department, who has been inspecting the telegraph line at Eucla in connection with the proposed amalgamation of the South and West

Australian offices, returned to Adelaide and left for Melbourne a few days ago. He will report to the Postmaster General on arrival at Melbourne, but declined to make any statement to the press regarding his mission, except that saving may be affected by the amalgamation.

The present Eucla staff is kept entirely busy, and the work is performed satisfactorily. The journey from Port Lincoln to Eucla occupied 15 days. The party camped out six nights. At one camp a drunken teamster threatened to kill the whole party with a tomahawk, but was disarmed. Afterwards the man tried to induce a black fellow to kill Mr Tymms with a knife. Next he got a gun to shoot 

Mr Tymms, but the precaution had been taken of withdrawing the charge. Altogether the journey was rather exciting’.

In 1907 Henry retired from the Victorian Postal and Telegraphic Department where he had worked for forty-nine years.

In 1914 Jessie Daley put Banff up for sale and Henry Tymms bought the house and later named it Gaba Tepe. 

Gaba Tape was a well-known battle in the Gallipoli campaign where in 1915 Australian troops captured the headland named Gaba Tepe. This headland overlooked the ANZAC troops and was used by the Ottoman artillery to constantly harass them.  The capture of Gaba Tepe was widely reported and celebrated around Australia at the time and it is therefore likely that the house was named to commemorate this victory.

In February 1917 Agnes Tymms died ‘after a serious operation’. 

Later in 1917 Henry Tymms married his second wife Alice Speed. Alice Speed was born in Geelong in 1878; she was the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Speed (nee Cordell). Henry and Alice did not have any children.

In 1926 a reunion of former Horsham residents including Henry Tymms was held at the Botanic Gardens in Melbourne.

Henry Tymms died in 1928 at 29 Albion Rd and was buried in the Box Hill Cemetery. 

On November 1st, 1930, The Herald newspaper published an article titled The Kelly’s Are Out – New Kelly Gang History by J M S Davies. Alfred Tymms sent an account of his father’s and his experience in regard to the Kelly gang to The Heraldnewspaper which was published on November 14th, 1930. 

Memories of Kelly Gang Capture

(TO THE EDITOR) 

Sir, — I am following your account of the, Kelly gang with Interest. During the Kelly gang time and the bank robbery sensations, I was a telegraph messenger at Heathcote. At that time the only and main telegraph line to Bendigo went through Heathcote. My late father was the postmaster there, and had the office wired forth the receipt and pay office and counters, so that by pressing a button, if the gang should appear (they were reported to be in the district), the staff could be warned.

On the Sunday the Kelly’s attacked at Glenrowan I was practicing on the line about 8 p.m. and the Melbourne operator said he wanted Bendigo at once, to warn the police. My father sent me

up to the police station, and down came two or three of the police and we got first-hand news of the affair before Bendigo (then Sandhurst), as they did not open until 9.30 p.m. Sunday Police messages then rolled in, so I am very much Interested in what is to follow, as all the circumstances are plain to me yet.

Sometime after this we had a relieving postmaster, Mr Harry Cheshire, at Heathcote. He was the man who went with the police train from Beechworth and showed all the notes he had how 

he erected the wires at Glenrowan and the engine fouled them, and he had to erect them again and put on his field telegraph Instrument to send the Press messages to Melbourne from the Glenrowan railway station which had no telegraph installed then.

Some three years later, I was at Glenrowan, and slept in the same room that some of the gang were brought to after the fire. Marks, of the bullets from the shooting were to be seen in the wood work of the railway station. The hotel opposite the place in which the Kelly’s made their last stand, with the two end rooms, was still there. I was asked by the station master not to say anything, as it was here that the horses of the gang were kept. The Kelly’s couldn't get to them, as they were on the other side, at Jones's shanty. 

It was reported when I was in South Africa during the Boer War that two of the gang were there, but I knew that couldn't be true. How the rumor originated I do not know, but I was asked about it more than once. I am sure great interest is being taken in your narrative - Yours, etc. Alfred Tymms.

Alice Tymms obviously missed Henry very much as she placed a tribute to him in The Argusnewspaper in 1932 – 4 years after his death. 

Tymms – In loving memory of my dear husband, Henry J.T Tymms, who passed away at Gaba Tepe, 29 Albion road, Box Hill, on July 18, 1928. – Always in my thoughts.

Alice continued living at 29 Albion Rd after Henry’s death until her death in 1959; then in 1960 the house was sold.

BANFF - THE HOUSE

In Andrew C Ward & Associates City of Box Hill Heritage study, 1990 mentions ‘Banff is a double storey Italianate brick villa, set on a bluestone plinth with a rendered white facade and red brick side walls. The facade features a double storey arcaded verandah and projecting central bay window with stilted arched heads and an unusual steeply pitched timbered gablet over the central window. Behind the verandah at the ground level is a pair of timber double-hung sash windows to one side of the timber door case, while at first floor level the windows are spaced more widely. A moulded string course runs around both levels between the springing point of the segmental arched window heads. The hipped slate roof is penetrated by rendered chimneys with moulded caps’.

The City of Box Hill Heritage and Conversation Study, 1990 states that the’ the Builder was J R Daley? and the architect was unknown’. According to the website Melbourne Mansions created by Australian Professor of Architecture Miles Lewis I found that the house was designed by the famous Australian architect John Beswicke. The house was built by J R Daley, Catherine Sim’s son in law in 1888.

John Beswicke was a renowned Melbourne architect during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. He commenced practice as an architect in Melbourne around 1866. 

The majority of John Beswicke’s designs were built before Federation in 1901 and much of his work is still standing today, a testament to both his skills as a designer and a draughtsman and the high standard of the materials and craftsmanship used. 

Houses which have been designed by John Beswicke have been placed on the Victorian Heritage Register include Talana in Hawthorn and Rotha in Hawthorn East.

One of his most significant legacies is the houses he designed for his family and others in Harcourt St, Hawthorn, which now constitutes a significant streetscape of Heritage Victoria registered houses.

The house at 29 Albion Rd is possibly the only John Beswicke designed house in Box Hill/Whitehorse. Whitehorse Council must consider having 29 Albion Rd placed on the Victorian Heritage Register and listed with the National Trust.

THE PROPOSALS TO DEVELOP BANFF AT 29 ALBION RD, BOX HILL 

There have been numerous proposals put forward over a number of years to develop the site with amendments being made and council approval granted. Some of the proposals have included demolishing the back of the house to attach a building consisting of a number of apartments. Between 2022 and 2023 the back of the house was demolished. Was a heritage assessment of the back of the house undertaken before it was demolished to determine if it had heritage value for Whitehorse? 

Would partially demolishing and building onto heritage protected buildings like Schwerkolt Cottage, Ripponlea and Como be allowed? 

In June 2022 Banff was put up for sale, as of April 2024 it was still unsold. 

The house has a Council Heritage Overlay and is on the Register of the National Estate but it is not on the Victorian Heritage Register or listed with the National Trust. There is little of the physical fabric of Box Hill’s earliest year’s remaining in existence. Any traces of Box Hill’s formative period - like 29 Albion Rd must be considered even more of prime heritage significance.  

Since I discovered that the architect of the house was the famous Melbourne architect John Beswicke, it has only added even more to its significance. 

I am hopeful that the Whitehorse Council, local historical societies, the State government and the owners will work together to register the house with Heritage Victoria and the National Trust as this would provide better protections and certainty for this historically significant house. 

There is similar heritage listed John Beswicke designed houses in Hawthorn East (Charlton) and Canterbury (Cullymont). They are fine examples of a sympathetic restoration whilst retaining their original heritage fabric. These homes like Banff are covered by Heritage Overlays. They are wonderful examples of what can be done with a Heritage protected home. You can view these houses here:

35 Harcourt Street, Hawthorn East VIC 3123 | Domain

2 Molesworth Street, Canterbury, VIC 3126 - realestate.com.au

The homes that were designed by John Beswicke that are on the Victorian Heritage Register include 1 Harcourt St, Hawthorn, 52 Pasco St, Williamstown and 29 Harcourt St in Hawthorn which is also registered with the National Trust. It appears that they are still being used as family homes. 

If Banff was on the Victorian Heritage Register or registered with the National Trust it may attract buyers who were interested in restoring the house and living there instead of attracting developers who just want to destroy it. 

The other house that was built by George Sim on Albion Rd was Albion at 48-50 Albion Rd in 1883; the street is named after this house. The house is on the National Trust and Victorian Heritage Database and is covered by a Council Heritage Overlay. Being on the National Trust and Victorian Heritage Database’s seem to offer better protection than just a Council Heritage Overlay. 

In April 2022 the Box Hill Historical Society organised guided tours of Banff for Sunday May 1, 2022, the tours ran every hour from 10am to 4pm. All the tours were booked out which was great to see as it shows that local residents are very interested in their local heritage and are happy to pay a small fee ($10) to visit locally significant buildings. On the ‘I Grew Up in Box Hill’ Facebook page, 167 people supported the house being opened for tours. Well, done to Box Hill Historical Society, I Grew Up in Box Hill and the tenants for organising the tour and supporting local heritage.

In 2024 the Box Hill Historical Society financed by the Suburban Rail Loop (SLR) launched the ‘Early Box Hill Walking Tour’ on their website which allows people to take a historic journey around Box Hill. It includes Banff as part of this online walking tour and you can view the website/tour here: Box Hill History Walking Tour (boxhillhistoricalsociety.com.au)

Around May/June in 2022 the tenants were given notices to vacate and since then the garden has been moonscaped, the back of the house has been demolished and the house was put up for sale again - as of April 2024 it was not sold. There were a number of canopy and large trees on the site. I have searched on the ‘Whitehorse Online Services’ on the Planning and Building Registers for an application to cut down these trees but I could not find one. 

It is sad to see that the original gardens of Banff have been cleared and I am hopeful that new owners will restore this Heritage protected building and gardens as a symbol of what can be done to preserve the heritage of Box Hill. 

THE FUTURE FOR THE CITY OF WHITEHORSE

If you visit the site, you can still see how it has been developed over 136 years by different families. 

The house has a Council Heritage Overlay (HO 14) which must be enforced for current and future generations to enjoy and learn from. Any traces of Box Hill’s formative period - like Banff at 29 Albion Rd must be considered even more of prime heritage significance given current building developments in Whitehorse generally and Box Hill in particular.

Since I discovered in 2020 that the architect of the house was the famous Melbourne architect John Beswicke, it has only added even more to its significance. I am hopeful that the Whitehorse Council, local historical societies, heritage agencies and the owners will work together to register the house with Heritage Victoria and the National Trust as this would provide better protections and certainty for this historically significant house. 

The demolition or irrevocable changes made to our built heritage raises a number of important questions about how we and our governments value, define and protect it. In Victoria the state government is responsible for developing and implementing heritage legislation/protections. 

When will the state government enforce the heritage legislation it already has?  

Sources:

• TROVE - National archives of Australia 
• Ancestry
• Public Records Office Victoria 
• Landata
• State Library of Victoria
• Melbourne Mansions – Professor Miles Lewis 
• Victorian Heritage Database
• National Trust of Australia 
• Wikipedia 
• Doncaster and Templestowe Historical Society
• Eaglehawk and Bendigo Heritage Study – Significant Sites
• Australian War Memorial
• Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme 
• University of Melbourne
• No Looking Back: Edward Thomas Newton, Early Settler of Port Phillip (1813-1882),2018 by Janice Newton
• National Archives of Australia
• Research Essay - Solomon Morad Jaboor by Dhevarajan Devadas

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