Port Melbourne History – Page 17 – Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

Fighting for Social Justice

People, Port Melbourne HistoryMarch 8, 2020

Lou Graham and Grace Patullo (nee Aanensen) The end of the 19th and start of the 20th Century was a time of economic hardship and great suffering. Workers had few rights and there were virtually no social services available. If a man could not work due to injury etc. his family could starve unless helped by family or neighbours. …

A Right Royal Welcome to Port Melbourne

Collection, Port Melbourne HistoryFebruary 21, 2020

David Radcliffe Recently the PMHPS acquired a magnificent picture showing a distinguished visitor being officially welcomed to Port Melbourne. But who is this dignitary resplendent in his ostrich feather festooned bicorne hat? Is it the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) in 1920 or the Duke of York (later George VI) in 1927? Turns out it was their younger brother Prince…

Spring Street – North, South, East and West

Places, Port Melbourne HistoryFebruary 7, 2020

David Radcliffe For Victorians, Spring St is synonymous with the seat of government. Similarly, Spring St in Port Melbourne runs past our historical seat of local government, the Town Hall. What makes our Spring St unique is that it has four parts each named after one of the cardinal directions. However over the years the names of these four parts have…

W C Cone and Company of Port Melbourne

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryJanuary 24, 2020

23 January 2020 Ray Jelley writes In somewhat of a coincidence I began this article on 20 December 2019 – a day that almost broke the record for the hottest Melbourne day in December for 143 years – the temperature reached 43.2 degrees Celsius at 6:00 pm. On 20 December 1946, the temperature rose to 104 degrees Fahrenheit or 40…

Cruikshank Street

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryDecember 5, 2019

Cruikshank Street in 2019. Photograph by David Thompson. Cruikshank Street and by extension, Little Cruikshank Street are named after William Cruikshank. Cruikshank Street runs from Pickles Street in the north, across Bridge Street to Liardet Street in the South. Little Cruikshank to the east of the main street runs from Bridge Street to Liardet Street. William Cruikshank came to Sandridge in…

Liardet Street

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryNovember 7, 2019

LIardet? or Lee-ar-day? There may be some uncertainty over the pronunciation but anyone living in Port Melbourne would know this street running between Pickles St to the east and Princes St to the west. Liardet St has two quite different characters: heavily trafficked east of Bay St and quietly residential west of Bay St. W.F.E. Liardet Liardet St is named…

Allan Whittaker Commemoration 2019

Port Melbourne HistoryNovember 2, 2019

In the welcome shade cast by the now formally named Allan Whittaker gatehouse, people gathered for the annual commemoration of his life on Princes Pier. Kevin Bracken photo Simon Kosmer No one can tell the story of Allan Whittaker and 1928 as Kevin Bracken can. He speaks with the authority of a former Victorian secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia…

Those Creative Liardets

News and Notices, Port Melbourne HistoryOctober 31, 2019

180th Anniversary In celebration of Port Melbourne's founding father Capt Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn Liardet, the Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society exhibits a selection of works from some of his creative descendants. This showcase commemorates his arrival in 1839 and honours the creative legacy that Wilbraham left behind within his many descendants. Port Melbourne Town Hall Thursday 14 November -…

Launch of Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network

News and Notices, Port Melbourne HistoryOctober 24, 2019

Cr Jackie Watts City of Melbourne Councillor, Jackie Watts was at the helm of the inaugural AGM of the Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network (the Network) at the lower Melbourne Town Hall on Wednesday 23 October. She lamented the 'depth of amnesia about Melbourne's maritime heritage'. The intention of the network, as the name suggests, is to bring together individuals and organisations…

Sea Baths in Sandridge and Port Melbourne

Places, Port Melbourne HistoryOctober 24, 2019

Pier Hotel Baths Sandridge had only been settled a few years when the first sea bath was opened as one of the many facilities offered by Wilbraham Liardet at the Pier Hotel. In 1843 he advertised in the Port Phillip Patriot that there was a spacious and convenient swimming bath, and shower, warm bath if required. The bathing facility is…

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians