Originally published in the Dandenong Journal from 10 March to 22nd September, 1932.
This copy is taken from the original published then, not the book version now used by others.
In the year 1847 an American barque dropped anchor in the Bay. She had a mixed crew, and those of them of white lineage were very keen on getting ashore, and settling in the land of gold. But a sharp lookout was kept for prospective deserters, and a watch was always set, especially at night, to check them getting away. The captain was typical of the time, a rough and tough bully, but his severe methods of handling the crew was more than the white men could stand, so one dark night five of them slid silently into the water, per medium of a rope, and soon were swimming vigorously towards Sandridge, and despite sharks, they all came ashore.
They were ill-equipped with money or clothes, but they struck straight for the diggings at Ballarat. They had been working about a fortnight, when word was passed around that a police patrol had arrived on a hunt for deserters from an American ship. Our chaps took to the bush and walked to Avoca without a stop, which readers of to-day will concede was a good performance. The police did not get them, and to-day the names of two stand out prominently in the settlements of Hawthorn and Dandenong, especially the latter.
Thomas Armstrong, who died recently, and who was over 90 years of age, was one of the early farmers. He cultivated the 50 acre paddock owned by the late James Greaves, near the railway station, in 1851, but the creek overflowed frequently and swept his crops away. Shortly afterwards he removed to over Scoresby way, behind Orleigh Park, and had sons, grandsons, and great grandsons about him when he died. Neighbors of Thomas Armstrong were Messrs. Exner, Weist, Kriegel, Brady and Ring, who took up land which was originally portion of the old Police Reservations.
Edward Kirkham was another of the old brigade. He arrived in 1850. By trade a ship’s carpenter, he could turn his hand to anything, and had a lot to do with building our first houses. He entered the employ of Mr. J. H. Walker, who at that time owned “The Grange” and a lot of other property. Mr. Walker engaged in the timber business, and started a mill on “Fanny’s Hill,” known later as Acacia Park, and still later as the Dandenong Bacon Factory’s property. Mr. Kirkham at that time had a property in the direction of Orleigh Park, but he was induced by his employer to get rid of it and secure a block nearer to the milling operations. This he did, and became possessed of a block from the Collins’s, on Kirkham road, which thoroughfare was named after him.
About the same time Sam Charman, a sawyer and fencer, settled on Kirkham road, and in a short time quite a number of other sawyers arrived, amongst them being William Blackmore, “Old Tiger” (no one knew him by any other name), George Batten, James Close, James Carr and others. These men “followed the timber,” meaning that as suitable red gum began to get scarce near Melbourne, they were compelled to go farther afield for it. And, as there was a plentiful supply in and around Dandenong, it was natural that the timber getters should find it here. Wm. Blackmore settled on Hammond road, and to-day his son, William, is living on Kirkham road.
James Greaves settled here about 1865, and opened a butcher shop in Dunbar’s old hotel building, Mr. Greaves was an energetic man, and as soon as his butchering business was established he commenced trading in cattle and produce. This he collected over a big extent of country, and sent loads to Melbourne by road. When the local market opened, and the cattle trade assumed large dimensions, Mr. Greaves disposed of his produce business to the late B. Tharle, who carried it on for many years.
With a family, in which were sturdy boys, Mr. Greaves quickly built up the premier business in Dandenong, and acquired a vast amount of property. From the shop in Lonsdale street he transferred to Edward Ellis’s wooden shop in Langhorne street; and on the death of Mr. Ellis removed to the large brick building on the corner of Langhorne and Walker streets, but later returned to a small shop he built alongside his home. Mr. Greaves was followed from the old country by his brothers, John, who settled at Edithvale; Edwin, one of the oldest residents of Berwick; William, whose sons still are on the homestead at Lyndhurst; and, I think, Frederick, of whose settlement I have no knowledge.
Thomas Cahill, who took up land on the Diamond Hill, a carpenter by trade, was another of the earlier settlers. He arrived in Victoria in 1852, as did also John Green. William Collins settled about 1850, and shortly after him came Beverley Hampton, J. Mooney, Spillsbury Butler, Joseph and Thomas Chandler, Obadiah Potter, Harry Young, Jas. Masters, John Box, John, Harry and William Orgill, J. Pender, H. Griffin, who were in turn followed by others, and thus the town grew.
Then there was Dougal McLellan, sire of Alex. (Cranbourne); John (Lyndhurst), Dougal (Dandenong), and George (recently deceased), than whom there was never a more energetic and upright man, a pioneer indeed; and his family walk worthily in his footsteps. Dennis Murphy, M. Storan, James Frawley, A. Fahey, Wm. Hallam, J. J. Mulcare, and Michael Reedy settled between the Diamond Hill, and towards Hallam; James Morey going eventually to Brighton; Wm. Collins settled near Dandenong. John Strange Calder built “Cumberoona" before Col. Hutton came to the district and purchased the property.
Among the early pioneers of the Narre Warren district, (but who were intimately connected with Dandenong) can be mentioned Messrs. Harbrow, Varcoe, Tom Charman, G. W. Robinson, Geo. Hall, Jas. Hillbrick, J. Finger, H. Bruhn, H. Aurisch, John Schmidt, I. Wanke, C. Fritzlaff, and others also whose names I have forgotten. Captain Jones and Mr. Bailey can fairly be named as the pioneers of fruit growing in that district, although, of course, they came long after the early settlers.
Whilst not actually connected with the early days of Dandenong, I make mention of the old Mornington Hotel, on the Berwick road, which was at one time kept by John Gardiner (and later by John Payne). The property upon which it stood was owned by Mr. Thomas Walton; and when the late Mr. Webb bought it, he pulled the old building down and cut up a large area and upon which now stands the township of New Narre Warren. The site of the old hotel was on the corner of the Main and New Narre Warren roads.
On the 13th December, 1839, the ship “Glen Huntley” left Greenock, Scotland, for Australia, and dropped anchor in Hobson’s Bay on the 17th April in the following year (1840). Many of her passengers were suffering from fever, and those affected were landed at Red Bluff, St. Kilda, that being the quarantine station for Victoria. A few days later James Masters, George Armstrong and John Craig died from the infection, and their remains were interred on the Bluff.
Owing to the encroachment of the sea, as years passed, there was danger of the remains being washed away, so, on the 27th of August, 1898, they were exhumed and reinterred in St. Kilda cemetery. The municipality erected a monument over the remains, which was made possible by public subscription, and thus is marked the grave of those who would otherwise have been a great acquisition to the new colony. The daughter of John Craig (Janet) married Alexander Watt Bowman, of Dandenong.
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