Port Melbourne History – Page 18 – Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

Sandridge Marine Lodge Centenary Banquet

Port Melbourne HistoryOctober 10, 2019

The local branch of the Freemasons, Sandridge Marine Lodge No 21 can trace its origins to the Chusan Hotel, Bay Street in the months or weeks leading up to a meeting held at the Ship Hotel, Bay Street on 15 December 1857. The meeting followed the drawing up of the following agreement. We the undersigned residents of and otherwise interested…

Walter Street

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryOctober 3, 2019

Walter St, Port Melbourne in 2019 image Rebecca Moore Walter Street Port Melbourne runs north-east to south-west between Graham and Poolman Streets along the north boundary of the Port Melbourne Primary School. It was named to commemorate Councillor George Samuel Walter who served on the Port Melbourne Council for 40 years from 1897 until his death in 1937. George Walter…

“Here comes the thief”

People, Port Melbourne HistorySeptember 19, 2019

Matthias Larkin This confronting headline was published in the Herald newspaper on 16 December 1891. It described the reaction of one very annoyed old lady who had lost her money by investing it in the South Melbourne Permanent Building and Investment Society and Deposit Institute (SMPB&IS&DS). The subject of her outburst was Matthias Larkin, the recently disgraced secretary of the…

Albert and Alfred Streets

Places, Port Melbourne HistorySeptember 5, 2019

Albert and Alfred Streets are two narrow streets formed west of the railway in the 1870s. Both streets run from Farrell Street towards Graham. Alfred stops mid-block after Union Street while Albert is split by Graham Street and continues to Poolman Street. Albert Street. Photo by David Thompson Albert Street was named for Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's Consort and due…

A Builder’s Signature?

Port Melbourne HistoryAugust 22, 2019

Decorative Eaves on Workers’ Cottages A constant delight of Port Melbourne is the avenues of workers cottages built during the real estate boom of the late Victorian era. Yet there is much more to these small wooden homes with their pretty iron lacework than first meets the eye. If you look up at the eaves between the main roof structure…

Plummer Street

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryAugust 8, 2019

Plummer Street near J L Murphy Reserve. Photo by David Thompson Plummer Street runs between Bridge Street and Prohasky Street with a section running the length of J L Murphy Reserve. Andrew Plummer was born in 1812 in Dalkieth, Scotland. He came to Australia in 1853 and established a medical practice in Bay Street having qualified in medicine at Edinburgh University.…

Proud to be a Port girl, Part 2

People, Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 18, 2019

Beverley Stephens (nee Dredge) remembers growing up in Port. She takes up the story after her grandmother and uncle were tragically killed in a house fire as told in Part 1. After the fire, Uncle Bill decided to bring his daughter Val to 82 Evans Street so that the brothers could bring up their children together. Shortly afterwards my eldest…

Cambridge Street

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 4, 2019

Cambridge Street (highlighted). MMBW Map, 1894 Passers-by today would find it difficult to identify the street highlighted in the above 1894 MMBW map. That's because it doesn't exist, although that is not strictly true. Part of the street is still there but it no longer intersects with Farrell Street. This is Cambridge Street. The origins of the name are unknown, but…

Proud to be a Port girl, Part 1

People, Port Melbourne HistoryJune 20, 2019

Beverley Stephens (nee Dredge) remembers growing up in Port Our family came to live at 82 Evans Street when Mum and Dad were struggling through the depression. Around the time I was due, Dad was trying to earn a living selling Jelly Crystals door to door - and anything else he could sell. They were living at that time in the house three doors…

Seisman Street

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryJune 6, 2019

Seisman Street runs between Dow Street and Esplanade West near Liardet Street. Originally known as Clark Street, but unproclaimed as an official street, Sandridge Council at their meeting on Thursday 22 November 1883 approved that it be renamed Seisman Street, after the immediate past Mayor, Cr Frederick Seismann. The reasoning being that a Clark Street, already proclaimed, existed in the west of…

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians