Nott Street School – Page 2 – Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

Welcoming the Returned Soldiers

Home Front Stories, WWI CentenaryNovember 23, 2018

Some three thousand people gathered along the roads leading from the New Railway Pier (Princes Pier) on the morning of Saturday 23 November 1918 to welcome the first contingent of returned soldiers.1 Barriers along the route restricted the roadway to 12 feet to allow the cars carrying the soldiers to proceed to the city. At the foot of the pier, two strong…

The End of the War – Nott Street State School

Home Front Stories, WWI CentenaryNovember 13, 2018

At 11.30am on Wednesday (13 Nov 1918] one thousand students of Nott Street State School paraded in the school grounds where they saluted the flag, sang the National Anthem and patriotic airs. The students were addressed by the headmaster, Mr Richards, Cr J P Crichton, chairman of the school committee, and Mr J L Murphy MLA. Mr Richards gave an apology from…

The End of the War – Hostilities Cease

Home Front Stories, WWI CentenaryNovember 11, 2018

About 7.30pm on Monday 11 Nov 1918, around the time the Bay steamers were returning from their day’s excursion, the news that Germany had signed the armistice reached the port. Suddenly a 'powerful whistle on the Port Melbourne shore echoed across the Bay'1 and for the next half hour the Bayside resounded to the grand chorus of sirens and ship’s whistles.…

A Picture Show – 26 July 1918

Home Front Stories, WWI CentenaryJuly 26, 2018

A short article and a notice in the Standard newspaper on 20 July 1918 alerting readers to the latest efforts, a picture show, by Nott Street School to raise money in aid of the patriotic funds. The article notes the school had already raised over £300. The picture show was held on Friday afternoon, 26 July at Port Melbourne Town Hall…

The Flu Epidemic of 1919

Home Front Stories, WWI CentenaryMay 11, 2018

In May 1918, reports of a mysterious and deadly disease ravaging Europe began to reach Australia, causing concern amongst those who had family members involved in the war in Europe. By July, England was affected, and Australian newspapers and letters from soldiers kept the Australian public informed. Dubbed the ‘Spanish Flu’, it was a variant of swine flu, highly contagious and…

Nott Street School Honour Roll – Pin List

Home Front Stories, WWI CentenaryApril 25, 2018

Amongst the items discovered in the recess within the Nott Street School “Old Boys” Memorial were two lists of names on loose leaf paper. The first we dubbed the ‘pin list’ because the pages were held together by a small pin. You can see the pin holes in the top left corner of this image. The second list we have called…

An afternoon in the Park

Places, Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 27, 2017

Molly Lowrie, aged about 8 with her younger sisters Nancy, Betty, Patsy and Lorna in Crichton Reserve, Port Melbourne, 1929. My mother Molly Lowrie, aged about 8, with her younger sisters Nancy, Betty, Patsy and Lorna taken in the Crichton Reserve, opposite their home at Princes Street Port Melbourne, in 1929. While the two-storey Nott Street School building in the background…

Fundraising Bazaar – 9 June 1917

Home Front Stories, WWI CentenaryJune 9, 2017

Among the papers found with the Honour Roll in the recess in the Nott Street School “Old Boys” Memorial were a few copies of a letter distributed by Mr A Richards (Head Teacher) and Cr J P Crichton (Chairman of the School Committee). Letter, dated 15 May 1917, distributed by Mr A Richards and Cr J P Crichton asking for gifts…

William Cann’s Kitchen

People, Port Melbourne HistoryJune 8, 2017

William Cann (centre) with his soldier son Harry sitting to his right c 1915-19. Courtesy Geoff Lister. Feeding the hungry children of Nott Street School in the 1930’s was a far cry from William Cann’s former life as a British soldier who had served in both the Zulu and Boer Wars. However, he did know what it was like to be…

Nott Street School Honour Roll – Temporary

Home Front StoriesApril 25, 2017

When the Nott Street School “Old Boys” Memorial was moved to the Town Hall after the school closed in 1993 an exercise book covered in brown paper was found in the recess within the memorial along with a number of other books and papers. Written on the cover was “Nott Street Old Boys – Temporary Honor [sic] Roll” Cover of the…

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians