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Nicholas Ervin

21/6/2019

Nicholas, son of John and Johanna (née Darcy) Ervin, was born in 1837 at Kilmoylar, Tipperary in Ireland. He married Ann Daffy (née Pardy) on 27 February 1862 at Duneed (#591). They had the following children:
John James — born about 1863, died 2 February 1895 aged 32, buried at Mount Moriac Cemetery
Nicholas — died 24 June 1895 at the Geelong Hospital of Phthisis aged 30, buried at Mount Moriac Cemetery
Thomas Joseph — born in 1868, married Elizabeth Margaret (Bessie) Buckley in 1904, two sons Nicholas and Clarence, died on 20 November 1947 at Mount Moriac, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Mount Moriac Cemetery with Elizabeth who died in 1972 at Newtown (Geelong) aged 90
Mary Ann — born on 12 January 1866 at Pyramid Hill, married John Francis Considine in 1890, died on 24 November 1891 aged 26, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Mount Moriac Cemetery. GTC records show her as Mary Consedine and Mary Ervin
Daniel Edward — born in 1867, married Catherine Eliza Downes in 1895, died on 1 October 1918 at Mount Moriac aged 50, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Mount Moriac Cemetery. The cortege comprised the hearse, two landau carriages, 98 conveyances, 8 motor cars and 28 horsemen. The procession was a mile long.
Margaret Ellen — born in 1871, died in 1891 at Mount Moriac, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Mount Moriac Cemetery

Nicholas died on 29 March 1883 aged 46 and was buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Mount Moriac Cemetery.

Thomas Ervin was a Barrabool Shire councillor from 1914 for 25 years. Thomas and his brother Daniel bought the Mount Moriac Hotel and hall diagonally opposite.

Nicholas' sons, Daniel and Thomas, became proprietors of the Mount Moriac Hotel. They carried on farming at first. They also acquired the land diagonally across the junction of Colac and Hendy Main Roads, on which they built a hall, after enlarging and renovating the hotel. This hall was used for public purposes until it burned down in 1962, but remained part of the hotel property for many years. After many accidents caused by runaway vehicles it was decided to build a new hall at the Recreation Reserve.

After Daniel's death in 1918, his wife and son, Winter, who died 1964, conducted the hotel for a long period.

from Geelong Advertiser 3 October 1918

from Geelong Advertiser 1 November 1918

The grave of Nicholas Ervin and four of his children — John, Nicholas, Mary Ann and Margaret Ellen

from Geelong Advertiser 24 November 1891

Councillor Thomas Ervin — contributed by Leanne Fagg

The Breakwater Hotel

1/3/2019

In the early days both sides of the Barwon were called Breakwater. The first hotel in Marshall was named the Breakwater Hotel. Michael Murnane applied for and was granted a license in 1856. In March 1861 the hotel was advertised to be let together with 30 acres of land. Michael again applied for and was granted a license in April 1861. In April 1862 son-in-law John Bogan, was granted the license. In 1864-67 it was again held by Murnane.

In March 1867 the license was transferred to Nathaniel Jones who ran the hotel until about 1875 or 76.

Michael married Honora Shelley. They had the following children:
Mary — born 1840 in Sydney, married John Bogan in 1859, died on 29 April 1868 aged 27 at Connewarre, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery
Thomas — born in 1845, died aged 6 years, buried at Geelong Eastern Cemetery on 28 February 1852
Michael — born about 1849, died in 1887 aged 38 years in Geelong, buried on 19 September 1887 in the Roman Catholic section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery
Edward — born in 1850 at Geelong died on 8 February 1877 aged 25-27 years, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery
Thomas Patrick — born in 1853 at Breakwater died aged 60 years, buried on 2 April 1914 in the Roman Catholic section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery
Honora — born in 1854 at Geelong, died 10 April 1875 aged 20 years at Geelong, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery
Catherine Agnes — born on 20 May 1857 at Geelong, died on 3 April 1896 aged 39 years, buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery

Michael died at his residence, the old Breakwater Hotel on 23 July 1878. Members of the St Mary's Total Abstinence Benefit Society were requested to meet at the St Mary's Schoolroom on 24 July at 1:30, in regalia, to follow the remains of their late brother member, Michael Murnane, to the Geelong Eastern Cemetery.

from Geelong Advertiser 9 March 1867

The Breakwater Hotel was opened in 1856 on Michael Murnane's land near the corner of Barwon Heads Road and what is now Station Road. The railway line did not open until 25 November 1876.

from Geelong Advertiser 14 March 1861 — the thirty acres were allotments 60, 61 and 65

from Geelong Advertiser 24 July 1878

from The Argus 20 September 1887

George Edward Southey

6/7/2018

Amanda Villa

George Edward, son of George Edward and Mary (née Young) Southey, was born on 26 May 1819 at Blackheath, Kent, England.

In 1848 he married Catherine née Bowden and had the following children:
George Edward — born 1850, married Elizabeth Allan
Samuel Bowden — born 1853, married Maud Marie Rabling, died 1913 at Collingwood
Sidney Hiram — born 1854, married Georgina Bannerman Forsyth, died 13 January 1892 at Port Melbourne
Catherine Amanda — born 1856, died 1857 aged 17 months
Catherine, who was born in 1818 died in 1856.

George subsequently married Catherine's sister Mary in England and together with their son, Sydney, they arrived in Port Phillip in February 1859 aboard the Suffolk. They had the following children after arriving:
Clara Eliza — born 1859 in Geelong
Frances Amanda — born 1861, married James Sturman Taylor
Magdaline Jane — born 1863, died 22 April 1865 at the age of 1 year, buried in the Church of England section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery

A couple of years after George's death Mary re married Joseph Dibbs Mowbray.

In 1853, George became the first licensee of the Geelong Hotel, a hotel which had a number of name changes. In 1860 it was named the Geelong Family Hotel, a name that lasted for only a year. In 1878 it was called Southey's Hotel, but that also lasted only a year. At some time in the 20th century it became known as the Corio Hotel. Recently, after a renovation the name was changed back to The Geelong Hotel.

The family lived at Amanda Villa in Bonsey Road, Highton. It was erected in 1854-1857 as a 5 room Georgian stone colonial building. Later the house became known as Aringa and the present address is 5 Aringa Avenue.

George was a South Barwon Shire councillor, serving from 1862-1867.

George died on 22 July 1867 and was buried in the Church of England section at the Geelong Western Cemetery with his first wife Catherine and daughters Magdeline Jane and Catherine Amanda. His long funeral cortege had an imposing effect and the majority of businesses on the route were closed. The mayors and a number of councillors of Geelong and South Barwon as well as many of the leading tradesmen and vine growers of the town and district followed the deceased to the grave.

Mary married Joseph Dibbs Mowbray on 20 May 1869 at Wesley Church in Melbourne. Joseph was the first head master of Ashby State School (now Geelong West Primary School).

from Geelong Advertiser 7 April 1864

from Geelong Advertiser 16 December 1875

Albert Benari

15/2/2017

from Geelong Advertiser 21 January 1860

from Geelong Advertiser 18 August 1886

from Geelong Advertiser 12 May 1882

from Geelong Advertiser 31 July 1886

Albert Benari ran the Germantown Hotel for 27 years until his death on 27 May 1886. He was postmaster of Germantown probably from the time the post office opened in January 1860 until his death. He was mayor of the Borough of South Barwon from 1866 to 1867 and a councillor of the municipality of South Barown from 1861 to 1875.

In 1858 he married Bridget Hackett.
Albert and Bridget had 7 children:
Albert (born 1859)
Joseph (born 1859)
Louis
Fanny (born 1862)
Charles (born about 1864)
Philip (born 1865)
Ida (born 1868)
In 1869 Albert and Bridget separated. Bridget died in 1896 in Geelong Hospital and was buried in an unknown location in the Geelong Eastern Cemetery.

The Germantown Hotel was situated on 1 acre of land in Germantown (Torquay) Road. It was a 20 roomed wooden building with slate roof and a wooden store with two rooms at the back. By the time of Benari's death the furniture, which had been in use for 27 years, was described as dilapidated and worn. The hotel had been auctioned in 1882. Bidding did not go beyond £500.

When he died at the age of 66 at his home he left an estate of £1273 to his children. He was buried at the Germantown Lutheran Cemetery.

The hotel was a centre of community activity with meetings, political speakers and inquests often being held.

Some of the items sold at the general store were saddlery, furniture, manchester, crockery, hardware, groceries, tobacco, clothing and underware.

Properties in the estate of the late Albert Benari were sold in 1866. Frederick Baensch bought the hotel. An allotment of 4 acres 3 roods was sold to Robert Smith Tuffs.

from Geelong Advertiser 22 April 1869

from Geelong Advertiser 22 December 1869

The Germantown Hotel was on the north west corner of allotment 25 which was on the corner of Torquay Road and an extension of Pioneer Road, south of where the Grovedale Hotel is today

Yarborough Inn

1/11/2016

George Dodds was a former licensee of the Yarborough Inn. The road on the right side of the map marked Thomsons Creek Road is now called Horseshoe Bend Road. Thompsons Creek (now spelt with a "p") was named after Dr Alexander Thomson.

Sale at Yarborough Inn on 30 September 1862

The entertainment for New Year's Day 1863 was held at the sports ground adjacent to the Yarborough Inn. This block was used as the Connewarre Cricket Ground.

In May 1864 the Hotel was advertised for sale or to let

Yarborough Inn was established at the south corner of Stewarts and Torquay Roads, Mount Duneed (now Armstrong Creek). A Mr Palmer, a former gamekeeper for the Earl of Yarborough in England, was the first person said to have run the inn. George Dodds became the first licensee in 1859 after unsuccessfully applying in 1858. He was refused a license as his premises were too small. He made a successful application in September 1859. Around 1960 it became known as the Yarborough Hotel. Dodds was followed by Adam Armstrong 1861 and 1862.

By the end of 1862 James Gleeson was the licensee. In May 1864 the business together with 60 acres of land was advertised for sale or to let. The lack of passing trade was the probable cause of this offer. There is no knowledge of an application for a license after this date although public meetings were held at the Yarborough Inn until 1871
.
After it closed it was transported to a site south of the Mount Duneed Cemetery in Williams Road to be used for a manse for the Presbyterian Church. As the church was never built, It was sold again to John Syrett of Grovedale. His son, John, was a station hand for Andrew White.

During the nineteenth century properties were advertised showing the closest facilities. This farm owned by John Doughany was advertised for sale in 1864 suggesting it was just past Yarborough Inn even though it was almost 2 miles away.

Rural Store Licenses Waurn Ponds

26/8/2016

In September 1872 at a local land board sitting the following applied for land near the old Victoria Inn:
Joseph Asplin — 7 acres
David Davies — 20 acres
Louis Mermod — 12 acres
James Neale — 5 acres
Objections were raised by Messrs Hanson, Miller and JH Sleator concerned that such valuable land was being sold too cheaply. The board decided to recommend that the land be sold by auction in 5 acre lots. In 1873 a number of small sites were advertised for selection.

At the local land board held in Geelong on Friday 4 April, 1873 a number of applications were lodged for rural store licenses for 3 acre sites. These applicants were expected to improve the land before they could claim ownership. They were sold for £10 per acre, a lower price than earlier expected. Many of these blocks were sold within the next few years.

Cochranes Road sites. The block marked camping is now the Waurn Ponds Memorial Reserve

Grovedale Inn — Lutheran Manse

19/8/2016

The German Inn was built in 1857 on 4 acres by Felix Mulholland and later became known as Bayview Hotel. It was bought by the Lutheran Church to use as a manse in 1868 for £400

from The Star (Ballarat) 7 December 1864

The former hotel, after becoming the manse, being demolished in 1925 to be replaced by a Californian bungalow

Waurn Ponds Hotel

9/7/2016

The remains of the Waurn Ponds Hotel — possibly the stables.

In the mid 1850s the land around the Waurn Ponds Creek was sold in small lots of varying sizes. William Murray established the Waurn Ponds Inn in 1856 on the south-west corner of Marendaz and Colac Roads. The population in the area had increased rapidly with quarries, orchards and vineyards providing plenty of work.

By 1859 Charles Simmons, who migrated from Norfolk, England to join his parents, took over the hotel. He retired from the hotel in 1876 and farmed land at Waurn Ponds until his death on 22 January 1894 at the age of eighty years. He was buried at the Geelong Eastern Cemetery.

George F Belcher was an estate and commission agent. He was a former Mayor of Geelong and is remembered by his gift to the city of a drinking fountain in 1874 on the occasion of his retirement from this position.

Victoria Inn Waurn Ponds

2/7/2016

The Victoria Inn was situated north of Waurn Ponds Creek almost opposite Lemins Road. Charles Rowand (abt 1825-1908) arrived in Geelong on the Travancore in 1849. He bought 9 acres in Waurn Ponds and 27 acres in Mount Duneed where he planted 4 acres of vines. He served one term on the Barrabool Road Board in 1861. He became Government Engineer of the Ballarat and Western District. At the time of his death he was the oldest road engineer living in Victoria. Frederick Imer (1836-1907) established a vineyard on 10 acres to the west of Charles Rowand.

Waurn Ponds grew around a pub. In March 1840, 968 acres on the Barrabool side of Waurn Ponds Creek was sold to Captain John Eddington, who had arrived in Australia with his family the previous year. Initially they settled near the Loddon River where the town of Eddington is today. The following year he established the Ballangeich run between Warrnambool and Mortlake.

This land, which has access from Colac Road, was sold to Henry "Money" Miller who built a small stone house on it in 1846 which was let to Martin Priest. Priest was granted the first license for the inn in April 1846. He also ran the Shamrock Inn on the corner of Malop and Yarra Streets, then called North Geelong. In July 1848, on leaving the Shamrock Inn, he took over the license of Mr O'Hara's house at Batesford. He advertised this business as Marrabool Inn. He also announced he had a new and secure yard on his premises which could contain upwards of three hundred head of cattle.

In 1847 Harry Hooton took over the inn. In April 1849 Hooton was granted a license conditional on the erection of extra accommodation. If not completed in two months the license would lapse.

Early maps show a road to Colac following the creek to Mount Moriac. This gave the Victoria Inn, situated on the northern bank a good position to catch the passing traffic. The Inn took its name from Hon Henry Miller's Victoria Estate. During the short time the Victoria Inn was operating it was the district meeting place on many occasions for discussing the roads, bridges and tolls, among other local concerns. In 1855 blocks of land on the south side of the creek in Waurn Ponds were auctioned.

In November 1849 Robert Tweedy opened the inn in a new stone building. He had previously held the license for the Hibernian Hotel in South Geelong. On 10th August 1852 Tweedy, aged 38 years, died after "a long and distressing affliction." His funeral took place at the Bridge Inn, South Geelong. The following year his widow, Ann Jane née Irwin, applied for the license. Robert (from Northumberland) and Ann (from Armagh) came to Australia separately in 1841 as bounty emigrants on the George Fyfe. They married the same year. After Robert's death she married Thomas Fitzgibbon and they kept the inn going until 1858, the year they both died.

Esther, widow of Martin Priest applied for the license in 1859.

In 1860 George Marsh applied for a license to run the inn, but failed to obtain it, probably because he failed to appear in court. He was insolvent and his hotel and household goods were sold.

After this the inn became a private residence. In 1861 the farm was leased to Bankin brothers.

It became known as Victoria Heights when it was occupied by the family of Robert Shaw Hunt and his wife Harriet nee Bone from the 1890s until his death in 1845. In 1902 their two year old daughter Vera drowned in Waurn Ponds Creek.

The site of the Victoria Inn is marked by these trees where the creek almost meets the road

In 1874 Louis Mermod had his colonial wine licence transferred from his Pettavel store to Waurn Ponds where he held a rural store license. His land was near the corner of Cochranes Road and Colac Road, now named Waurn Ponds Drive. This venture was probably not successful as he was trying to sell his rural store site by late 1875. He subsequently appears to have moved to Korong Vale. The block on the corner marked "camping" is now Waurn Ponds Memorial Reserve. The reserve is maintained by a local committee to commemorate local residents who served in World War 1.

Louis Mermod owned land near the corner of Cochranes Road and the old Colac Road, which is now named Waurn Ponds Drive. The block marked camping is now the Waurn Ponds Memorial Reserve

Clifford

15/6/2016

Clifford had a blacksmith, hotel, church/school, post office and store.

It took its name from Lawrence Trewin’s Clifford farm on the corner of Colac, Devon and Cape Otway Roads. He moved to Echuca in 1875.

A store was run by Herbert Cotton, who also ran a licensed store and hotel in Russell Street, Chilwell. He married Elizabeth Trewin in 1862 and had 9 talented children who entertained with singing and dancing and playing two violins, a cornet, a piccolo and a piano.

Stephen Sleator was the next licensee. He also ran the Argyle hotel on the corner of Aberdeen and Coronation Streets. He also ran the store at Clifford. He moved to the Wimmera in 1876.

Trewin then called tenders for the lease of the store and hotel for three to five years. James Gorell, who owned a business at 517 Moorabool Street, South Geelong, was the successful tenderer. The hotel was destroyed by fire in May 1877. Although both Trewin and Gorell were insured, the hotel did not re open, probably because of the declining population in this area. Subsequent generations of the Gorell family have been successful businessmen in Geelong.
The post office, originally named Amblerton opened on 17 September 1868, was renamed Clifford on 1 October 1868 and closed on 28 May 1877.

A blacksmith, John Murray, operated in the early 1870s. His advertisements appeared in the Geelong advertiser from 1871-74.

A Church of England school was established on 15 August, 1853, with John A Boyd as its first teacher and an attendance of 21. Its name was Colac Road but was changed in 1856 to Duneed. It became Common School No 187 in 1869 when it had 42 pupils. The name was changed again in 1871 to Clifford. It closed on 18 August, 1875. Arthur Streeton's father, Charles, was school teacher at this school from 1 August 1865 to 13 June 1869. Arthur was born at the school house.

The settlement of Clifford was at the corner of Colac, Devon and Cape Otway Roads. Lawrence Trewin purchased the land originally owned by John Kiddle after his death in 1852

Pettavel

22/4/2016

Pettavel Road, showing location of the station and the school

David Pettavel who came to Australia in 1842 purchased 585 acres from the crown stretching from Reservoir Road to Waurn Ponds Creek in 1848. He established the Victoria vineyard here with about 20 acres of vines and 20 acres of orchard.

In 1861 a road was opened on the western side of his land starting at Colac Road and continuing south to Louttit Bay Road. This road became known as Pettavel Road. The area in the vicinity of this road became known as Pettavel after his death in 1871.

The facilities were scattered. The first was a Presbyterian school which opened in 1856 on the north east corner of Mount Duneed and Pettavel Roads. By 1858 31 pupils attended this school originally named Duneed with William Savage as head teacher. A stone church was later built on the Mount Duneed Road site by the Presbyterians. The ruins of the church are all that remain today.

A state school was built between Mount Duneed and Dickins Roads on the west side on a one acre site bought from FB White for £20.

A station named Pettavel Road was opened in 1883. A platform on the northern side had a shelter shed opposite a loop siding and goods platform. The station closed in 1952.

A store operated by Louis Mermod on the Colac Road near the eight mile post was granted a wine licence in the 1870s. He was cautioned that he must keep the store and post office separate from the drinking part of the establishment. There had been complaints of horse racing being carried out on Sundays at his place. In 1874 he had his colonial wine licence transferred from his Pettavel store to Waurn Ponds where he held a rural store license. The post office was then operated by the Marendaz family. It closed on 1 November 1894 possibly when the postmistress was sent to prison.

Harry Kurzmann erected a lean-to against his house at the corner of Dickins and Pettavel Roads, open at one end and with a tarpaulin at the other for weather protection. Local dances and card parties were held at this venue named Joy Ark. Horse races and athletic events were held in an adjoining paddock. Residents of this district and neighbouring Freshwater Creek regularly used this venue.

All of these buildings have now disappeared. Even the stone church which was used to store hay was destroyed after a fire on 19 December 1972.

A Presbyterian school which opened in 1856 on the north east corner of Mount Duneed and Pettavel Roads had 31 pupils by 1858. It was originally named Duneed with William Savage as head teacher. A stone church was later built on the Mount Duneed Road site by the Presbyterians. — J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria

The Pettavel Murder

Pettavel, Clifford and Wellington

25/3/2016

These blocks along the Princes Highway were first sold in 1840

The many motorists who drive towards Mount Moriac on the Princes Highway would probably not guess that a settlement near the corner of Cape Otway Road and Devon Roads was a very busy little centre in the nineteenth century. The long climb up the hill from Waurn Ponds made a natural spot for weary travellers and their horses to take a rest. Numerous wagons and vehicles obstructing the road outside the Clifford Hotel drew the attention of the Moriac police who were eager to get rid of "this nuisance".

Further down Cape Otway Road a Wesleyan church at Wellington was active for about fifty years.

To the east a number of buildings in Pettavel Road bore the name Pettavel including a railway station, which was a great asset to the district, a school and a church.

The ruins of the Pettavel Presbyterian Church on the north east corner of Mount Duneed and Pettavel Roads

J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria

The church had been used as a hayshed before an arsonist set it alight on 19th December 1972. The fire could not be extinguished without dismantling the building. This took all day. The police kept watch and late in the day the culprit turned up and was apprehended.

The Pettavel Murder