springfield - 22 Kangerong Rd, Box Hill

As you walk down this quiet street off Whitehorse Rd with the Box Hill Police station on the western side and the Little Jiang Nan restaurant on the eastern side you can see interesting houses from the early development of Box Hill. Many of these houses have been proudly maintained and restored unlike the house at 22 Kangerong Rd, Box Hill that has a Council Heritage Overlay (HO 186). 

The ‘City of Whitehorse Heritage Properties Review – Gem of Box Hill & Mates’ Housing Development Precinct, 2006’ mentions ‘Development of the estate seemed assured when William Williams, a carpenter immediately built a house there on lot 18 but in reality few houses existed by the turn of the century. An exception was this place at no. 22 built by Charles Ragg in 1889 on lot 19’. 

The legacies of various families who lived, built and developed this area of Box Hill should all be recognised and celebrated not only in Whitehorse but in Australia generally for their contributions to our society. These families include the ‘Ragg family’ who built the first house in this area and therefore contributed to the early built heritage of Box Hill and then the ‘Carson’, ‘Sloan’ and ‘Allingham’ families who later lived in that house; they were very much involved in the community for many years and their son’s served in two world wars. As well as the ‘Garrett family’ who also lived in the house and built a number of other houses and buildings, contributing to the built and architectural heritage of Box Hill and Whitehorse. 

THE RAGG FAMILY 

Charles Ragg built and lived in the house at 22 Kangerong Rd, Box Hill and his occupation was ‘dairyman’. He was born in Boroondara in 1855, the son of Thomas and Sarah Ragg (nee Nuttal). 

Thomas and Sarah Ragg and their one year old son James sailed from Plymouth to Melbourne on board the sailing ship Westminster in 1839 - four years after Melbourne was founded. Thomas’s occupation was listed on the passenger list as ‘bricklayer’, but later his occupation is listed as ‘agriculturist’. 

Around 1846 Thomas Ragg purchased 137 acres of land on Bulleen Rd at the junction of Bulleen and Doncaster Rd’s. This is where the Ragg family lived and they named this property ‘View Hill Farm’. 

In the 1847 Port Phillip Patriot Almanac Thomas Ragg is listed as an ‘agriculturalist’ (farmer), on the Carlton Estate in Plenty (the Carlton Estate was originally named Unwins Special Survey). In The Jubilee History of Kew Thomas is referred to as ‘one of the pioneer farmers of the district’.

In 1859 Thomas donated land near the intersection of Koonung Creek and Bulleen Rd for the building of a church. A brick church was built on the site in 1864 but later closed due to a decline in the number of parishioners.

Around 1860 Thomas Ragg was elected a member of the Boroondara District Road Board and is quoted in The Jubilee History of Kew as being ‘one of the earliest members of the Boroondara Road Board’; he served on the Board until his sudden death in 1874.

In an 1874 article in The Mount Alexander Mail written after Thomas Ragg’s death it is mentioned that ‘the deceased before he betook himself to farming was in business as an architect and builder, and he built the old Mechanics Institute and other buildings in Melbourne’. In 1872 the Mechanics Institute changed its name to the Melbourne Athenaeum and is currently known as The Melbourne Athenaeum Library. The library has been located at its current location in Melbourne at 188 Collins St since 1842.

Back to Charles Ragg (Thomas’ son)

In an 1871 map of Boroondara a building is shown with ‘C. Ragg’ written next to it indicating that Charles Ragg owned the land. The building was near the intersection of Bulleen and Doncaster Rd’s, and is probably part of the original land where the Ragg family farm house was located -‘View Hill Farm’.

In 1877 Charles Ragg married Annie Carson and they had five children – Annie Jnr, Thomas, Henry, Sarah and Nellie who died in infancy. 

Annie Carson was born in 1856 in the Nunawading District (in 1861 the place where she was born was named Box Hill). She was the daughter of Richard and Mary Carson. 

In an interesting aside into local family relationships; 

In 1886 Richard and Mary Carson’s other daughter Sarah Carson married Alfred Padgham - the grand nephew of Box Hill pioneer Silas Padgham. Box Hill was named in 1861 after Silas Padgham’s place of birth in Box Hill in England. He also built the Railway Hotel in 1882 on the corner south western of Whitehorse Rd and Station St in Box Hill (956 Whitehorse Rd). 

The Carson family were obviously deeply involved in the local community as Annie’s brother Reverend Robert Carson on the eve of his wedding and before leaving for Tasmania was presented with a farewell gift of a marble clock with the inscription ‘A token of esteem to Mr. R. S. Carson, from his Box Hill cricketing admirers, 1891’. In 1900 after returning from Tasmania, Robert was the Chairman of the Box Hill United Churches Cricket Club.

In 1889 Charles Ragg built the house at 22 Kangerong Rd in Box Hill, in the same year his wife Annie died and he only lived there for a year. 

In regards to local family connections Charles Ragg’s older brother John Ragg was living in Box Hill around 1876. He later donated  the land where the Box Hill station and railway line would eventually be located.

Back to Charles Ragg

In 1891 Charles Ragg married his second wife Sarah Sumner. They were married by Reverend Robert Carson - his ex-brother in law. Charles and Sarah had six children: Charles Jnr, William, Robert, Ivy; Minnie (b: 1891) who died aged 3years and Minnie (b: 1901) who died in infancy. Charles and Sarah Ragg apparently lived at the ‘View Hill Farm’ in Bulleen after having sold 22 Kangerong Rd to Walter Garrett; in 1892 Charles Ragg sold ‘View Hill Farm’ and moved with his family to Leongatha where he continued farming. 

In 1895/6 Richard and Mary Carson (Charles Ragg’s parents in law from his first marriage) moved to 22 Kangerong Rd having bought it from Walter Garrett and ran a dairy on the site. 

Charles Ragg died in Leongatha in 1925 and was buried at the Boroondara General cemetery. Sarah died in St Kilda in 1947 and was also buried at the Boroondara General cemetery. 

THE GARRETT FAMILY

Walter G Garrett was born in Stratford on Avon in 1842; he was the son of Thomas and Mary Garrett (nee Harrison). In 1861 Walter Garrett married Elizabeth Fantham in Birmingham; they had two children: Thomas and Walter Jnr. Walter G Garrett’s occupation was listed as ‘builder’.

In 1865 Walter and his family sailed to New Zealand and settled in Pakaraka on the North Island. In New Zealand they had ten more children – George, Frederick, Edward, Ellen, Charles, Francis, John, Clement, Robert and Mabel who did not live past infancy. 

In 1868 Walter and his family moved to Whangarie. 

In 1884 the family moved to the Auckland and Walter continued working as a ‘builder’.

In 1888 Walter Garrett and his family arrived in Melbourne and in approximately 1890 moved to 22 Kangerong Rd where they lived until 1895.  In Box Hill Walter continued working as a ‘builder’ and was involved in the construction of a number of houses in Box Hill. 

Walter G Garrett died in 1907 in Box Hill and was buried in the Box Hill cemetery. 

The Reporter Box Hill published an article about Walter Garrett after his death titled – 

Death of Mr. W. G. Garrett

‘On Sunday last there passed quietly away a well-known and highly respected Box Hill townsman in the person of Mr Walter George Garrett, sen., the head of a celebrated family of builders. The Interment took place in the Box Hill cemetery on Monday afternoon, a large number of friends attending to pay the last tribute of respect. Mr Garrett was 65 years of age, having been born at Stratford-on-Avon (Shakespeare's birth place) on April 23, 1842. In 1862 he married at the early age of 20, and his numerous sons have followed his example in the matter of early marriage. In 1865 the then young couple arrived at the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, and started to carve out a career in a strange land. Mr Garrett first set to work in preparing timber for and building a Maori Chief's house. It was a time of strife amongst different tribes of Maories, and as Mr Garrett was the first white man to go among and work with the Maories in that part of Maoriland the risk was exceedingly great. Later on he moved to Whangeri, and took up land, combining farming and building. He erected all the public buildings in Whangeri, remaining there till 1884, when he moved to the city of Auckland, and carried on building there for 4 years. In 1888 he bid farewell to Maoriland and came across to Melbourne with his wife and family, and took up his residence in Box Hill, where the rest of his life has been spent....’

Many of Walter’s son’s also worked in the building industry with Edward as a ‘painter’, George as a ‘contractor’ and Charles and Edward were also listed as ‘builders’.

In the ‘City of Whitehorse Heritage Properties Review 2006: Gem of Box Hill & Mates’ Housing Development Precinct’ mentions that Edward Garrett built a number of houses in Court St, Box Hill - these included numbers 2, 6,8,10 and 12. It is highly likely that Edward’s father Walter and his brothers were also involved in the building of these houses.

George Garrett (grandson of Walter G Garrett – builder)

In the early twentieth century George Garrett and John Mawson went into partnership and formed the building firm of ‘Garrett and Mawson’, their offices were located at 580 Station St in Box Hill.

In 1910 John Mawson married Olive Garrett who was the daughter of George Garrett - his partner in the firm of ‘Garrett and Mawson’.

In 1911 the firm of ‘Garrett and Mawson’ built new offices for the real estate firm of ‘J R Ellingworth’ on the corner of Rutland Rd and Station St. A feature of this building is the distinct tower on the south western corner of the building which has become an iconic feature of Station St. in Box Hill for many years. The progress of the construction of this building as well as the courthouse is mentioned in the June 2, 1911 edition of the Box Hill Reporter. ‘Good progress is being made by Messrs. Garrett and Mawson with the erection of Mr J.R. Ellingworth’s business premises at the corner of Station Street and Rutland road. Box Hill; and the walls of the new police court in White Horse road are putting in an appearance’.

That same year the firm of ‘Garrett and Mawson’ submitted plans to the Nunawading Shire Council for the building of the Band Rotunda in Box Hill which was completed in June 1911. 

The firm of ‘Garrett and Mawson’ also built a number of homes in Churchill St in Mont Albert including number 40 in 1918, number 50 ‘Carbethon’ in 1922 and number 42 in 1925.

In 1935 John Mawson built a convalescent home at 257 Union Rd in Surrey Hills and he named it Holmsdale after the ship his parents came to Australia on. The home was run by his sisters Harriet, Beatrice and Muriel who were nurses.

John Mawson died at his home ‘Erskine’ at 5 Barloa Rd in Mont Albert in 1941 and Olive Mawson also died at ‘Erskine’ in 1960. They were both buried in the Box Hill Cemetery. 

A little about the Mawson family – although they never lived at 22 Kangerong Rd the Mawson family were relatives of the Garrett family through Olive Garrett's marriage to John Mawson and as can be seen above were business partners. 

In 1882 John Mawson’s parents Frederick and Mary Mawson (nee Mullard) and their one year old daughter Beatrice sailed from London to Melbourne onboard the sailing ship Holmsdale. The passenger list has Frederick Mawson’s occupation listed as ‘Engineer’. In Melbourne they had four more children – John, Muriel, Harriet and Ethel.

The Mawson family later moved to Bona Vista Ave in Surrey Hills. The family home was named Holmsdale after the sailing ship they had sailed on from London to Melbourne. 

Mary Mawson died in Surrey Hills in 1896. 

In 1897 Frederick Mawson married Catherine Denney who was born in 1861 in Mortlake; her parents were Alexander and Susan Denney (nee Cullen). The Mawson family used to visit the Denney family in the western district of Victoria during the summer school holidays. This possibly explains why Beatrice, Muriel and Harriet undertook their Nursing studies in the Western district at either Castlemaine or Hamilton.

By the turn of the century Frederick Mawson had formed the jam manufacturing company of ‘Mawson and Murray’ which was located on the eastern side of Warrigal Rd near the intersection of Canterbury Rd in Surrey Hills.

Beatrice Mawson

Beatrice was born in England in 1881. In 1907 Beatrice graduated as a nurse from the Castlemaine Hospital Nurse Training School. 

In 1915 she joined the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) and in the same year she sailed from Melbourne to London onboard the RMS Mooltan. The ship was transporting units of the Australian Army Medical Corps to England and Port Said in Egypt.

After arriving in England, Beatrice was transferred to the 17th British Hospital at Alexandria in Egypt. During her time at the hospital Beatrice nursed casualties from Gallipoli, including those from the disastrous Lonesome Pine battle in August 1915. In recognition of her work she received 2 stripes for honourable and distinguished service.

Beatrice was next stationed to the hospital ship Dunluce Castle on which she made twenty three journey’s from La Havre in France to Southampton in England. The journey from La Havre to Southampton at this time was a very dangerous crossing and on one trip seven ships (including the ship Beatrice was on) left Le Havre at night and only one ship was to arrive safely the next morning. 

In June 1917, Beatrice was granted a furlough back to Australia and sailed onboard the RMS Mongolia. On June 23, 50 miles southwest of Bombay, the ship struck a mine and sank in 15 minutes. The 400 crew and passengers boarded lifeboats and after 4 hours at sea they landed on the island of Janjira. After landing, a makeshift medical tent was set up for treating the injured. They were rescued after forty eight hours by a minesweeper and taken to Bombay. One of the survivors was a Richard Reading (Richard Reading, CdeG(B) - Wikipedia) who wrote a letter (Red Cross nurses serving in India –vica letter of appreciation for actions | naa.gov.au) to Mr Anquetil, the House Secretary of the Y.M.C.A in Bombay thanking him for the care he had received at the Colaba Hospital in Bombay. In the letter he also mentions three nurses but in particular Beatrice Mawson ‘I thanked them as we parted and I thank them again – and especially do I thank Sister Mawson - for help and sympathetic encouragement at a time when both were sorely needed’ in relation to the sinking and survival on the island.

Beatrice’s experience on the RMS Mongolia was reported in an article dated 18 August 1917 in the Mount Alexander Mail and was titled ‘Adventures of a Castlemaine nurse’. To read the article, please click on the following link: 18 Aug 1917 - ADVENTURES OF A CASTLEMAINE NURSE - Trove (nla.gov.au)

In an interesting aside Richard Reading moved to Melbourne in 1928. He worked for the Herald newspaper as ‘sports sub editor’ and lived at 7 Archibald St in Box Hill (demolished in 2007). He died in Melbourne in 1929. I have been unable to establish whether Richard and Beatrice ever met again, but living so close to each other it may have been possible. 

In September 1917 Beatrice was working at the Australian General Hospital (AGH No 11) on Kooyong Rd in Caulfield and in 1921 she was transferred to the Repatriation Hospital. 

In 1936 she started working at a convalescent home which her brother John Mawson had built at 257 Union Rd in Surrey Hills, it was known as Holmsdale. Beatrice spent the remainder of her nursing career and life with her sisters Harriet and Muriel at Holmsdale. 

Beatrice Mawson died in 1975; her address at the time was 257 Union Rd in Surrey Hills, her occupation was listed as ‘Nurse’.

Harriet Mawson

Harriet was born in Flemington in 1885. Harriet trained at the Hamilton Hospital and in 1915 she passed the final nurses’ examinations, she spent a further two and a half years there. 

In 1917 she enlisted for AIF and embarked in Sydney on HMAT Ulysses and sailed to Plymouth in England. For the duration of her service was spent in a number of military hospitals in England including at Croydon, Weymouth and Dartford. During this time she was with the Australian Army Nursing Service, Australian Medical Corps (AANS, AMC).

In March 1919 Harriet returned to Australia with her sister Muriel, Harriet was discharged in July 1919. In Melbourne Harriet worked with her sister Beatrice at the Australian General Hospital (AGH No 11) on Kooyong Rd in Caulfield. 

In 1921 she was appointed as Sister-in-charge, and later the first Matron, of the Royal Military Hospital at Duntroon.  She remained at Duntroon until the Hospital closed in 1930.

In 1932 Harriet returned to Melbourne and she was appointed as the first Matron of the Gresswell Sanatorium at Mont Park (near Bundoora/Watsonia). Gresswell Sanatorium was opened in 1933 and was dedicated to treating patients with tuberculosis. 

In 1936 Harriet resigned from her position as Matron of Gresswell and in the same year her brother John Mawson built Holmsdale at 257 Union Rd in Surrey Hills as a convalescent home. 

Harriet spent the remainder of her nursing career and life with her sisters Beatrice and Muriel at Holmsdale in Surrey Hills

Beatrice Mawson died in 1975; her address at the time was 257 Union Rd in Surrey Hills and her occupation was listed as Nurse.

Ethel Mawson

Ethel was born in Carlton in 1888. In 1915 Ethel married William Pinkerton and they moved to Wangaratta. They had four children - Betty, Joan, Catherine and Frederick who died in infancy. 

Ethel trained as a Nurse but it appears that she did not serve in World War 1 or work in a hospital. At this time nurses could only enlist or work if they were single or widowed. 

Muriel Mawson

Muriel was born in Carlton in 1889. Muriel also trained at the Castlemaine Hospital and graduated in 1915 and worked at the Castlemaine Hospital.

In 1917 she was working at the Mt Wise Private Hospital in Mercer Rd in Malvern. On May 2 of the same year she enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces in the Australian Army Nursing Service with the rank of Sister. On May 11 she embarked in Melbourne on HMAT Ascanius and sailed to Plymouth in England. The duration of her service was spent in a number of military hospitals in England including at Croydon, Weymouth and Dartford.  

In 1919 she returned to Melbourne on board the Dunluce Castle, the same hospital ship her sister Beatrice had served on.

From 1919 to 1931 she worked as a Nurse but I have been unable to find out where. 

In 1932 she was working at the Repatriation Hospital on Kooyong Rd in Caulfield.

In 1936 she started work at ‘Holmsdale’ a convalescent home at 257 Union Rd, Surrey Hills.  

Muriel spent the remainder of her nursing career and life with her sisters Beatrice and Harriet at Holmsdale in Surrey Hills.

Muriel Mawson died in 1979; her address at the time was 257 Union Rd in Surrey Hills and her occupation was listed as Nurse.

THE CARSON FAMILY 

In 1856 Richard and Mary Carson sailed from Plymouth aboard the sailing ship Fairlie arriving in Melbourne in June. On the ships passenger list Richards’s occupation is listed as ‘clerk’. By September of the same year they were living in the Nunawading District (named Box Hill in 1861) as their first child Annie Carson was born there. They had 6 more children – Robert, Samuel, Sarah, Margaret, Susan and Mary. 

The Carson family lived on a ten acre property in Box Hill bounded by Middleborough Rd in the east, Margaret Rd in the north, Bolton St in the west and the City Oval in the south.

In 1873 the Box Hill Cemetery was gazetted and it opened in the same year. Richard Carson was appointed honorary ‘Sexton’ of the cemetery in its early development. A ‘Sexton’ is an officer of a church, congregation, or synagogue charged with the maintenance of its buildings and/or the surrounding graveyard.

As previously mentioned, in 1877 their daughter Annie Carson married Charles Ragg and they had five children – Annie Jnr, Thomas, Henry, Sarah and Nellie who died in infancy. In 1889 Charles Ragg built 22 Kangerong Rd.

In 1895/6 Richard and Mary Carson moved to 22 Kangerong Rd and ran a dairy on the site. (About 6 years after their daughter Annie had lived there and died)

Richard Carson died in 1900 at 22 Kangerong Rd and In his Will he left 22 Kangerong Rd and the Middleborough Rd property (referred to locally as ‘Carson’s Paddock’) to Mary and their children. Mary continued living in the house until c1910; her occupation was listed as ‘dairywoman’. 

In 1900 an article in The Reporter Box Hill written after Richards death mentions ‘Mr Carson was a native of Armagh, Ireland, and with his wife arrived in Victoria in the fifties. Coming to Box Hill he settled in Middleboro road. He sold out during the boom time, and since then has been living in Kangerong road. He has been a resident of Box Hill for the past 43 years, all his children having been born in the district’.

 
In 1911 Samuel Carson (the son of Richard and Mary Carson) was one of the builders employed by ‘Garrett and Mawson’ in the building of Box Hill Band Rotunda constructed on the central island on Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill. Later Samuel created the building firm of S. Carson and Son. The firm built a number of buildings in Box Hill including shops on the corner of Blackburn and Railway Rd’s in Blackburn, shops on Whitehorse Rd in Box Hill and a villa for a Mr M Monett on Ellingworth Pde in Box Hill. Samuel was also named as vendor in regards to a number of property sales in Box Hill. 

In 1919 Mary Carson died at her daughter Mary Hunt’s home in Watts St, Box Hill. 

In a 1928 Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) map of Box Hill shows Carson St running north off Davey St in Box Hill. By 1945 Carson St had been renamed Camelia St. Was Carson St named after the Carson family?

THE SLOAN FAMILY  

The Sloan family lived at 22 Kangerong Rd after the Carson family.

William Sloan and his family lived in the house after the Carson’s. Both William Sloan Snr and his wife Elizabeth (nee McMillan) were born in Scotland in 1870. William Sloan and Elizabeth McMillan were married in Scotland and had 9 children – Thomas, William Jnr, James, Frances, John, George, Elizabeth Jnr, David and Jessie.

In 1913 William, Elizabeth and their 9 children sailed on the Themistocles from London to Melbourne. On the ships passenger list William’s occupation is listed as ‘farm hand’. 

By 1914 the family were living in Watts St in Box Hill, but in 1916 the family moved to 22 Kangerong Rd in Box Hill and named the house Springfield.

The Sloan family – a tradition of military service to Australia 

Both of their sons Thomas and James worked at the Mitcham Pottery factory before they enlisted in the Australian army and served in WW1. James was ‘under age’ but obtained his parents’ consent to enlist on December 4, 1914. Thomas enlisted on January 19, 1915. Both Thomas and James died together after their troopship Southland was torpedoed off the coast of Lemnos in September 1915; they were buried on Lemnos.  In an enquiry into the sinking a witness stated that he ‘saw the two Sloans jump into the sea, they kept together in the water, and were seen by several including the witness, to sink together’. The Memorial Honour Board in the foyer of the Box Hill Town Hall includes their names, as does the War Memorial now in the Box Hill Gardens. 

William Snr enlisted in the Australian army on June 21, 1915 but was discharged a year later as being ‘over military age’ - remember he was actually born in Scotland in 1870. 

Another son, William Sloan Jnr also enlisted in July 5, 1915 and served at Gallipoli and then the Western Front with the 7th Division AIF. At Hollebeke, Belgium, the Australians overwhelmed the defenders and captured a section of the German line before withdrawing. Melbourne historian Jim Claven states that William Jnr was ‘Mentioned in Despatches’ ‘for participation in a very successful raid on the enemy trenches on 30 September 1916’. Returning to Box Hill in 1918, he continued working as a ‘farmer’. 

In the 1920’s William Jnr and his brother John formed the firm of ‘Sloan Brothers’. The firm operated from 14 Mersey Street in Box Hill and specialised in concreting and asphalting. In 1930 the name of the company changed from ‘Sloan Brothers’ to ‘William Sloan’. 

Elizabeth Sloan died in 1933 and her husband William Sloan Snr died in 1938 in Box Hill and were buried in the Box Hill cemetery. 

William Sloan Jnr. lived at 14 Mersey St Box Hill until he died in 1939 in a field of ‘natural causes’ outside of Kilmore whilst possibly inspecting a future quarry site for his business.

THE ALLINGHAM FAMILY

John Locke Allingham and his family lived in the house after the Sloan family. 

John L Allingham was born in Bendigo in 1861, the son of Richard and Sarah Allingham (nee Sparkman). 

In 1886 John Allingham married Jessie Allen and they had five children: Allen, Frederick, Alfred, Richard and Sarah. The family lived in Golden Square in Bendigo, where John Allingham was at various times a Storekeeper, Orchardist and Accountant, as well as being a Methodist Lay Preacher. 

John later worked at the ‘Bendigo Pottery Company’ in the position of Accountant.

In 1909 John was promoted to the position of Manager. 

In 1913 John was transferred to the Melbourne office of the ‘Bendigo Pottery Company’ to manage their office which was located at 505-509 Collins St. He would later become ‘Company Secretary’. 

In 1916 the family were living in Harrow St, Box Hill.

By 1920 the family purchased and moved to 22 Kangerong Rd in Box Hill, John Allingham developed the property into an orchard.

John Allingham died in 1922 and Jessie in 1941 both at 22 Kangerong Rd in Box Hill. They were both buried at the Box Hill cemetery.

Allingham St in Golden Square, Bendigo is named after the Allingham family.

The Allingham sons – a tradition of military service to Australia - WW1 & WW2

WORLD WAR 1 

Frederick Allingham

Frederick Allingham attended Golden Square State School and Golden Square Methodist Church.

In 1905 at the age of 15 Frederick joined the Senior Cadets as a member of 4th Light Horse Troop; he later held the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant.   

In 1909 he became a member of the 17th Campaspe Valley Light Horse Regiment.

In 1911 he began a 4-year Apprenticeship with Mr John R. Clark, Government Mining Surveyor, of Bendigo. He was enrolled at the Bendigo School of Mines to undertake his Mining Survey studies and complete his apprenticeship.

In 1914 after completing his apprenticeship Frederick volunteered for service in the AIF. He was one of the first men from the Bendigo district to enlist at the Broadmeadows Camp. He was appointed to 'C' Squadron of 4th Regiment Light Horse and allotted Service No. 372. Later in the year he sailed to Egypt onboard the HMAT Wiltshire, as part of the 1st Convoy to leave Australia. In Egypt he filled the post of orderly and assistant to the Quartermaster Sgt.   

In May, 1915 the 4th Regiment Light Horse was deployed to the Gallipoli campaign without horses serving as infantry.

In August, 1915, Frederick was transferred to 3rd Field Company Engineers. He was appointed ‘Sapper’ and allotted the new Service No. 489. In September of the same year he was promoted to ‘Lance Corporal’, and in December he was promoted to ‘Temporary 2ndCorporal’.   

In December 1915 the evacuation of allied troops from Anzac cove took place and Frederick and the 3rd Field Company Engineers were evacuated and disembarked at Alexandria, Egypt.

In March 1916 Frederick Allingham was promoted to ‘Permanent 2nd Corporal’, and shortly after to ‘Corporal’. Later in March he sailed to France to join the British Expeditionary Force. 

In July 1916 Frederick was Killed In Action (K.I.A) when the 3rd Field Company Engineers were working on the lines around Pozieres in preparation for a planned Australian attack. Frederick was buried in the Becourt Military Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt located in the Somme region of France.

In a letter to Frederick’s father John Locke Allingham, 

Major C. A. Courtney, C/O of 'C' Squadron, 4th Regiment Light Horse, wrote: 

"I ask you to accept my heartfelt sorrow as a tribute to your son's memory.   I had ample opportunity to appreciate his fine character and keen soldierly qualities.   He was especially valuable to me all through Mena and on Gallipoli, and I thought his special ability would find greater scope in the Engineers.   I therefore advised him to transfer.   After he left us he was still working in the same trenches, and was always in good spirits and had earned the confidence and respect of his new mates . . . .  he was one of the many fine characters that set many capable officers thinking, 'Am I fit to lead such men'.   I mourn him as a personal friend, and so will all the Squadron officers.   He was one of the best types of the men of Anzac." 

(‘Bendigonian’ 15 March, 1917)

Alfred J Allingham

Alfred Allingham attended Huntly State School and Epsom Methodist Sunday School.

In 1913 Alfred moved to New South Wales (NSW) where he was employed as an ‘electrician’.

On 11 October, 1915 Alfred enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) at Holsworthy in NSW and was assigned to 3rd Reinforcements, 5th Field Artillery Brigade as a ‘Gunner’.   

In January 1916 he sailed from Sydney to Egypt on board the HMAS Osterley. In Egypt he was ‘Taken On Strength’ (TOS), 2nd Division Artillery Column. An injury to his elbow resulted in admission to hospital in Heliopolis for a short period and then he was transferred back to 5thField Artillery Brigade (FAB).  In March, 1916 he embarked for France, disembarking in Marseilles.   

In early May, 1916 he was transferred back to 2nd Division Artillery Column and at the end of May he was transferred to the 2nd Division Artillery Head Quarters. In December 1917 he was promoted to the position of ‘Lance Corporal’. In March, 1918, he was transferred to 2nd Division Signal Company.

After the Armistice on 11 November 1918 he was still in France, but in December was admitted to hospital suffering from Diphtheria and was transferred to a hospital in England. He was discharged from this hospital in February, 1919.   

In May, 1919 he embarked on board H.M.A.T Armagh at Devonport in England and sailed to Melbourne where he was discharged from the AIF that same year.

Following discharge Alfred John Allingham joined his family at 22 Kangerong Rd, Box Hill, where he worked with his father on their orchard. After the death of his father in 1922 he continued working at the orchard at Kangerong Rd. 

In 1949 Alfred married Iris Tipper; they did not have any children. 

Iris Tipper was born in Box Hill in 1910 to Elijah and Rebecca Tipper. Elijah Tipper was born in Birmingham in England in 1872 and Rebecca Green was born in England in 1878. Elijah Tipper and Rebecca Green were married in 1907 in Birmingham in England. Elijah’s occupation is listed as ‘Foreman Fitter - gasworks’. Shortly after they married they sailed from England to Australia and arrived in Box Hill in 1908 where they had their first child Jack, followed by Iris, Lily, George and Albert.

In Box Hill Elijah Tipper’s occupation was listed as ‘Manager’ of the Box Hill Gas Works. The family lived at the Gas Works site at 481 Elgar Rd. and in the 1928 Victorian Government Gazette Elijah was nominated for the Board of the Box Hill Gas Works. 

In 1932 Elijah applied to the Commonwealth Patent Office for a Patent in regards to an ‘improved gas proportioning governor’ he had developed. Gas ‘Governors’ are preassembled modular equipment used for reducing the gas pressure in a network from one pressure tier to another. They normally incorporate pressure regulators, filtering devices and slam shut devices to protect the downstream gas network from over pressurisation.

According to Intellectual Property Australia (as of 2015) Elijah Tipper is still named as the registered owner of the patent.

Around 1940 Elijah and Rebecca’s sons (Iris’ brothers) worked at the Box Hill Gasworks - George as a ‘gasfitter’ and Albert as ‘clerk’. George and Albert Tipper enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Forces (2nd. AIF) and served in World War 2, but I have been unable to find out about their military service as their service records have not been opened for public access.

Back to Alfred Allingham:

After Alfred retired he sold 22 Kangerong Rd and he and Iris moved to Mont Albert.   

Alfred Allingham was a member of the Box Hill Historical Society and served as ‘Secretary’ for many years.   

Alfred died in 1971 and Iris in 1990 - they were both buried in the Box Hill Cemetery.

In 1994 the Iris Allingham Trust was created to fund medical research.

WORLD WAR 2 

Allen R Allingham

Allen gained his Intermediate and Leaving Certificates and after leaving school he was employed by the 'National Bank of Australasia’ as a ‘Bank Clerk’. 

When Allen was 17 years old his father died and the orchard at 22 Kangerong Rd. continued to be run by his brother, Alfred.  

Allen joined the Citizen Military Forces in 1922, aged 18, and continued to serve until 1924. He also joined the Volunteer Fire Brigade.

In 1933 Allen worked in the ‘Security Department’ of the Bank, initially working as ‘Settlement Clerk’ and later as ‘Titles Officer Clerk’.   

In 1938 Allen was appointed ‘Assistant Officer in Charge’, Branch Security Department.   

In 1940 Allen was appointed ‘Trustee’ of the Box Hill Cemetery and sat on the Board until 1977. 

In July, 1942 Allen enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a ‘Trainee Officer’ and attended the School of Administration.   

In August 1942 he was granted a commission as ‘Pilot Officer’, and appointed to the ‘Administration and Special Duties Branch’.  The ‘Administration and Special Duty Branch’ was formed in 1942 to instruct RAAF personnel in weapons and ground defence of airfields and to command the defences of RAAF stations and airfields.

In February 1943 Allen Allingham was promoted to the position of ‘Flying Officer’. His position was classified as ‘Special Duties Administrative’ and his duties involved working with Ciphers. 

Between 1942 and 1945 Allen was posted to what at that time was the Australian Territory of Papua New Guinea (PNG). In PNG he was posted to a number of wireless transmission stations including Milne Bay, Madang, Kiriwina, Port Moresby, Aitape and Morotai. At this time the Japanese had invaded Papua New Guinea and they were forced to retreat by the Australian and American forces. 

In Australia during the war Allen was sent to a number of military posts including:

• Charters Towers - Repair and Salvage Unit
• Melbourne - RAAF Headquarters, 1 Embarkation Depot, 1 Personnel Depot and the Wireless  Transmission Station
• Tocumwal - RAAF Station 
• Townsville - North Eastern Air Command 
• Gawler - Telecommunications Unit

In 1945 Allen Allingham married Daphne Lidgerwood and they had two children: Beverley and Pamela. The family lived at 75 Carrington Rd in Box Hill. 

Daphne was the daughter of Robert and Mary Lidgerwood; the family lived at 95 Carrington Rd in Box Hill.  Robert’s occupation is listed as ‘retired storekeeper’. Robert and Mary Lidgerwood’s daughters - Daphne and Violet operated a shop named ‘D & V Childs Wear and Drapers’ located at 593 Main St in Box Hill. 

In March 1946 Allen Allingham’s enlistment with the RAAF was terminated. 

After the WW2 Allen was promoted to the position of ‘Manager’ of the National Bank of Australasia - Caulfield East Branch and was later made ‘Manager’ of their Mitcham Branch. 

In 1982 the National Bank of Australasia merged with the Commercial Banking Corporation of Sydney and became the National Australia Bank (NAB).  

Allen died at Mont Albert in 1977 and Daphne at Blackburn in 1986; they were both buried in the Box Hill Cemetery.

SPRINGFIELD - THE HOUSE

The house at 22 Kangerong Rd, Box Hill has a Council Heritage Overlay (HO 186). 

Below is an excerpt from ‘The City of Whitehorse Heritage Properties Review – Gem of Box Hill & Mates’ Housing Development Precinct 2006’:  

History

Kangerong Road is in Crown allotment 16 for which Alexander and Patrick Murphy paid two pounds per acre at Crown land sales in 1851. It was a large 160-acre allotment, which stretched along the north side of Whitehorse Road from Shipley Street to Middleborough Road80. Referred to as Murphy’s Paddock in Southall’s “A Tale of Box Hill”, it was where the beginnings of the village of Box Hill emerged subsequent to its subdivision into sixteen tenacre blocks in 185881. The character of the area was rural and remained so as the land boom of the 1880’s swamped Melbourne with subdivisions for suburban housing. This part of Whitehorse Road joined the frenzy when pioneer settler Robert Blood had his acreage surveyed for auction as the Gem of Box Hill out of which Kangerong Road was created. Advertised for sale on 20 October 1888 it comprised of 32 lots fronting the east side of Kangerong Road and north side of Whitehorse Road to the right of way. 

Development of the estate seemed assured when William Williams, a carpenter immediately built a house there on lot 18 but in reality few houses existed by the turn of the century. An exception was this place at no.22 built by Charles Ragg in 1889 on lot 19 which had been acquired from A. S. Sheehan. Ragg, a dairyman was resident there in 1891 but in the following year let the property to Walter G. Garrett, a carpenter. Subsequent tenants included William Farr, an agent and Miss M. A. Carson in 1895. 

By the turn of the century Ragg had sold the property to Mrs. Martha Goddard. It was described as wooden on lots 19 and 20, population 2 and NAV 22 pounds (land lot 20 was owned by William Ainger in 1895 so it had possibly been a separate purchase). Goddard remained at no.22 in 1910 but by World War 1 Mrs. Fanny Marie Mashiter of Whitehorse Road had purchased it. One C. Dare was tenant. 

Mrs. Jessie Allingham had become owner/occupant by 1926 the house by then being described as wood with five rooms on lot 19. It was depicted in situ on the MMBW plan 176 of the Municipality of Box Hill dated 20 July 1927 as a single fronted cottage with extensive verandahs and a wood outbuilding. By then the east side of Kangerong Road was almost fully developed.

Description 

‘The house at 22 Kangerong Road, Box Hill is a single storey, double fronted Victorian block fronted weatherboard building with a hip roof clad in slate. There are two early rendered brick chimneys on either side of the house with corbelled caps. There is a later tall and skinny face brick chimney at the rear of the house. The facade has a central door flanked by timber framed double – hung sash windows. The verandah extends across the width of the house and has a skillion roof supported on square timber posts. The balustrade to the verandah does not appear to be original. The post and beam low front fence appears to be early. There are two large Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) trees either side of and immediately within the central front gate. A large silky oak (Grevillea Robusta) is visible at the rear of the house.

There are currently no Victorian residences representing the early phase of development in the Gem of Box Hill subdivision. This property and the one at 34 Watts Street are recommended for inclusion to demonstrate the establishment of the Gem of Box Hill Estate. Significance The house at 22 Kangerong Road, Box Hill is of historical (Criterion A) and aesthetic (Criterion E) importance as one of a small number of nineteenth Century houses surviving in Box Hill demonstrating an early and important phase of residential settlement in the area. It represents the Gem of Box Hill subdivision and built in 1889, would have been one of the earliest houses constructed as part of the subdivision advertised for sale in October 1888. Aesthetically, the house is a very intact example of a relatively simple Italianate timber villa’.

Significance

The house at 22 Kangerong Road, Box Hill is of historical (Criterion A) and aesthetic (Criterion E) importance as one of a small number of nineteenth Century houses surviving in Box Hill demonstrating an early and important phase of residential settlement in the area. It represents the Gem of Box Hill subdivision and built in 1889, would have been one of the earliest houses constructed as part of the subdivision advertised for sale in October 1888. Aesthetically, the house is a very intact example of a relatively simple Italianate timber villa.

Condition of the house

As of June 2022 the house is in a very neglected condition with smashed windows, slate tiles missing from the roof, the front door has been removed, part of the rear of the house has been demolished leaving the interior of the house exposed to the elements, the interior plaster walls, ceilings and fittings have all been removed.

At the front of the house there was a fan shaped five step stone staircase leading to the front door that also has been removed. 

Planning applications

Between 2012 and 2019 a number of planning applications have been lodged in regards to the development of this site, but no development has occurred since the last application in 2019. 

Amendments Planning and Environment Act 1987

In March 2021 the state government passed ‘Amendments in relation to heritage protection’ of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. These include provisions ‘to deter persons from unlawfully demolishing heritage buildings; or allowing heritage buildings to fall into disrepair’ and ‘to prevent persons from obtaining a benefit from unlawfully demolishing heritage buildings or allowing heritage buildings to fall into disrepair’.

To read the amendments please click on the following link: 

Planning and Environment Amendment Act 2021 (legislation.vic.gov.au)

THE GARDENS

The gardens are not covered by a heritage or vegetation overlay and the site has been cleared (moonscaped) of all vegetation. 

The ‘City of Whitehorse Heritage Properties Review – Gem of Box Hill & Mates’ Housing Development Precinct, 2006  mentions ‘There are two large Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) trees either side of and immediately within the central front gate. A large silky oak (Grevillea Robusta) is visible at the rear of the house’.

The site at one time had an orchard run by the Allingham family and the Virtual War Memorial Australia website mentions in regards to the garden: ‘When Ralph Allingham was about 9 years old the Pottery transferred his father to Melbourne and the family began a move to Box Hill where another property was purchased and developed as an orchard’. There are now no remnants of the orchard that was developed by the Allingham family left on this site.

The future for the City of Whitehorse

The house is covered by a Council Heritage Overlay (HO186) but it is not on the Register of the National Estate or registered with the National Trust or on the Victorian Heritage Register; inclusion on these registers should have been looked into to further protect it. 

It is concerning to see this ‘Council Heritage protected house’ in such a sad state of disrepair and I am hopeful that the owners, Whitehorse Council and the State government will work together to fully restore this very important piece of our early built heritage. 

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 Victorian government implement heritage legislation that better protects our built heritage? 

Sources:

• Units of the Royal Australian Air Force a Concise History Volume 9 Ancillary Units 1995 
• Ozatwar.com - No. 12 repair and salvage unit – RAAF in Australia during WWII
• Ozatwar.com - No. 1 wireless unit RAAF in Australia during WWII
• The history of the Australian special wireless group 1939 to 1947 - by Robert (bob) Hartley, AM 2015
• National archives of Australia - abbreviations used in World War 1 and World War 2 service records
• Public Records Office Victoria
• State Library of Victoria
• Landata
• The Jubilee History of Kew: its origin and progress, 1910 by F.G.A. Barnard 
• National Archives of Australia
• Sands and MacDougall Directories  
• Boroondara Wiki 
• Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria
• Victorian collections 
• Camberwell Conservation Study
• Australian War Memorial 
• Discovering Anzacs 
• Victorian Government Gazette, 1928
• Neos Kosmos
• Box Hill Historical Society Newsletter, Volume 23, Issue 6 December 2017
• Bendigo Pottery
• Our Dear Old Battalion: the story of the 7th Battalion, AIF, 1914-1919 by Ronald J. Austin, 2004
• Port Phillip Patriot Almanac, 1847
• Australian Red Cross Society