Essendon North State School, Depression years

This class at Essendon North State School shows a mix of pupils whose families are doing ok, and send their children to school clean and neatly dressed, and other families whose children are grubby and unkempt, and in some cases looking abused.  Some of their fathers would have been suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after the war, potentially exacerbated by unemployment and alcohol abuse.  See other photos from Essendon North at the Time Travellers website. Photo courtesy of Greg Manderson.  Please get in touch if you can identify anyone in the photo.

The Shuter Estate, Moonee Ponds

Shuter St in the MMBW plan of 1905, from the State Library of Victoria Collection.

A previous article, That Ancient Question, the Moonee Ponds Post Office, 1854-1906, explored in some detail the long and sorry story of the relocation of the Moonee Ponds Post office from Mt Alexander Rd to the corner of Puckle and Shuter Streets. Council and community expected, wanted and needed the Post Office to continue in business in Mt Alexander Road or very near the Moonee Ponds Junction. Puckle St was just being developed in the late 1880s and the main business centre was Mt Alexander Road. In late 1889 it was learned that, despite several years of lobbying, the Post Master General’s Department had purchased land in Puckle St. How was it that the Puckle St site became available at all and who were some of the other players involved? This article offers some insights into the Land dealings during this Boom and Bust period which shaped the district.  See The Shuter Estate.

Dartford St, Flemington

Stock agent Donald McPhail with his wife Isabella, nee Urie, and their baby James in a perambulator.  They are standing in front of their residence at 16 Dartford St, Flemington.  The house is still standing.  See more on the Time Travellers website, link above.  Courtesy of Ian Jeanneret.

The Sherwood family of Flemington

 Left to Right, back row:  Elsie May, Arthur William, John Winsor Sherwood. Front row, left: Kate, William Henry & Hannah Elizabeth Sherwood. Photo courtesy of Heather Kennedy.

 

The above photo, taken in the early 1900s, of the Sherwood family of 46 Wellington St, Flemington, includes two librarians who worked at the Flemington and Kensington Free Library and Institute.  The undated newsclipping says that Elsie May took up the position of librarian after her father's retirement.   W H Sherwood was mentioned in the library committee minutes in 1929, and E M Sherwood was similarly mentioned in 1937. (See above link).

Arthur William Sherwood, centre back, served in the AIF during the Great War.

In the Electoral Rolls the three men of the family were always listed as clerks, and Elsie was always listed as a dressmaker, even while presumably working as a librarian, while Kate and Hannah had home duties.

The Sherwoods lived in various addresses in Flemington, including Wellington st, Waltham St and Lee St, but by 1963 had moved to 11 Lincoln Rd, Essendon. Of the four children, only John Sherwood married, the other siblings residing together throughout their lives.