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The Victorian economy ‘boomed’ during the 1880’s. During this decade there was a massive increase in the sub-division of paddocks into what became Melbourne’s inner and outer suburbs.
The peak year of the ‘land boom’ was 1888. During the financial year 1887/88 thousands of acres of what are now Melbourne’s suburbs were sub-divided by around 270 newly established Land and Investment Companies. One of the suburban paddocks snapped up was Chirnside’s paddock at the junction of Geelong and Williamstown Roads. The size of the paddock was 90 acres and the company that sub- divided it was The Queensville Land and Investment Company Limited. The company bought the land on 28 March 1888 and paid £ 45,000, which was equal to £ 500 per acre.
What attracted the directors of the company to the potential of Chirnside’s paddock was its close proximity to the long established Sandhurst, later named Bendigo railway line. The section of the railway between Footscray and Sunbury was opened on 10 February 1859.
It was important for the ‘land boom’ companies to have a railway line and station adjacent to their development in order to attract potential buyers. The history of Melbourne’s suburban railway system has close links to the ‘land boom’ of the 1880’s.
Two of the three Railway Commissioners were encouraged by the directors of the company to become shareholders. Richard Speight who was the Chairman of The Railway Commissioners held 1,000 of the 46,000 shares in the company, his colleague W.H. Green 750.
“It is gratifying to notice that the Railway Commissioners have not been unmindful of their promise made to Mr Clark re the new station at Geelong road. Tenders for the work of erecting same are now called for to be in prior to 12 March. It will not take very long to execute the works, but it will take smart operations to have the station open before Easter”.
Mr Clark was the local MP
At the Shire of Werribee council meeting held on 30 June 1888 it was recorded in the Minute Book, page 64, that a letter had been received from:
“The Secretary of The Queensville Land and Investment Company Limited asking this Council’s co-operation in obtaining the consent of the Railway Commissioners to naming the new railway station, on the Geelong Road Queensville”.
The request was “ordered to remain on the table”.
The Railway Commissioners ran special trains, for the public to attend sales at The Queensville Estate on 28 July, 15 September and 6 October 1888 using a temporary platform. The station was opened to the public on 6 October 1888.
The Advertisement(right - click for enlargement) for the opening of the station reads:
"The following is the railway time table to be used between Melbourne and West Footscray
(Queensville) stations. The time table is now in force, and will, no doubt, prove a
great convenience to the residents of the above districts: -
From Melbourne to Queensville or West Footscray – a.m. 6.15, 7.35, 9.5, 11.5;
p.m. 12.35, 1.45, 2.25, 2.55*, 2.55, 3.5, 5.20 ^, 6.35, 10.35.
From Queensville or Footscray West to Melbourne – a.m. 7.10, 8.27, 9.47, 11.47;
p.m. 1.17, 2.23, 342, 5.57*, 6.12 ^, 7.27, 11.26.
*Saturday only. ^ Saturday excepted."
The company engaged the services of the surveying company Terry and Oakden. The surveyors divided the 90 acres into 917 allotments. As well as being a surveyor, Percy Oakden was also an architect. Oakden designed the Ballarat and Clunes Town Halls, Queens College Melbourne University, Eastern Hill Fire Station, The Congregational Church in Victoria Parade, St Barnabas Church South Melbourne and St Matthew Church at Prahran. He also became a holder of 2,000 shares in the company and bought 7 lots on the estate.
The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Queensville Land and Investment Company Limited were drawn up on 8 March 1888. (click to enlarge):
A list of Directors was given as:
A list of Shareholders was given as:
Insert List of Shareholders The company embarked on a series of seven ‘Grand Land Sales’, which were planned to take place each month between June and December 1888. Having paid £ 45,000 for 917 allotments, which they now controlled the company were now looking to make profits for the shareholders. The breakeven figure less expenses for each lot would have been £ 49. Insert advert for No 1 - 16 June 1888 Insert map of section No 1 Insert advert for No 2 - 28 July Insert map of section No 2 To date no advert for a sale of section 3 during August 1888 has been found Insert map of section No 3 Insert advert for No 4 – 15 September Insert map of section No 4 Insert advert for No 5 – 6 October Insert map of section No 5 The company only sold 3 lots in section No 6 and none at all in section No 7. Insert map of section No 6 Insert map of section No 7 The company presented its first half-yearly report for the period ending 25 September 1888. Insert First Half-Yearly Report And presented its first half –year balance sheet Insert First Half-Year Balance Sheet
John Sundercombe had a number of other properties and took out a mortgage on the 30 December 1887 with The Australian Financial Agency and Guarantee Company Limited (this Company was deregistered on 31 August 1900).
On 28 March 1888 he sold all of the land to the Queensville Land and Investment Company (there were two companies by this name, the first was deregistered in 1896 and the other in 1979). The Queensville Land and Investment Company on the same day (28 March 1888). took out a mortgage with The Mercantile Bank of Australia (this Company was deregistered in 1979).
However an envelope containing details of one of Queensville Land and Investment Company Limited numbered C0001265L is held by The Public Record Office in Laverton. Their copy of the other company by the same name numbered C0001771H is missing. During perusal of the existing document both numbers appear on many of the pages of the document which exists.
From these papers it has been established that the company was registered on 9 March 1888 with the Registrar Generals Office. At its conception the following names of directors and number of shares held were given in the Memorandum of Association.
The liability of the members was to be limited and the capitol of the company was one hundred thousand pounds ($206,000).
1888 was the year when booming land prices came to an end. Susan Priestley in her book 'Altona A Long View' records that the valuer of The Shire of Wyndham " had put Wyndham's land value at 85,257 Pounds ($175,630) almost seventy percent more than the previous year. Two-thirds of it arose from subdivisions in the East Riding. A more sober estimate in 1889 reduced it to 70,675 Pounds ($145,590) although the East Riding of the Shire three subdivisions maintained its weighting.. Further reductions during each year of the 1890's finally levelled out at about 56,000 Pounds ($115,360) in 1898, of which the East Ridings's contribution was less than half." (Priestley 1988 p 93)
For the rate made and returned on 29 September 1900, Henry Davis the Shire Valuer reported that the value assessed was 55,851 Pounds ($115,053)
Things were beginning to happen around the Queensville Estate. At a meeting of The Shire of Wyndham Council held on 26 May 1988 it was recorded in the minute book, page 48, that a letter was received from "The Town Clerk Footscray stating that plans and specifications are now in the course of preparation for the construction of Harrison Road (Williamstown Road) costing about 350 Pounds ($780) and suggesting that the Engineers of both Municipalities consult as to this proposed work with a view of joint action being taken. On the motion of Councillor Cherry, seconded by Councilor Bearish the Engineer was instructed to inspect the plans and report to this Council. Carried"
At the Councils next meeting 30 June 1888 it was recorded in the minute book, page 63, that a letter had been received from "Mr E, Jackson Footscray requesting permission to cut water table and form footpath in front of land Geelong Road near Rising Sun Hotel. Granted Subject to Engineers approval after implementation." At the same meeting it was also recorded in the minute book, page 64, that a letter had been received from " The Secretary of The Queensville Land and Investment Company Limited asking this Council's co-operation in obtaining the consent of the Railway Commissioners to naming the new railway station, on the Geelong Road Queensville. Ordered to remain on table."
And at the Council meeting held on 14 July 1888 it was recorded in the minute book page 72 that a letter had been received from "The Town Clerk Footscray asking the views of this council with reference to constructing the unmetalable portions of Harrison Road. It was moved by Councillor Cherry, seconded by Councilor Bearish and carried that this Council agree to co-operate in equal shares of cost for metal construction of Harrison's Road."
The Estate was subdivided into 933 lots, the majority of which measured 90 feet by 33 feet (27.5 metres by 10 metres). The first part of the Queensville Estate to be sold was north of Shackell Street. Lots Nos 1 to 17 in Geelong Road, 18 to 48 in Chirnside Street, 49 to 121 in Queensville Street and 122 to 163 in Williamstown Road. The four blocks were called A.B C D and given the L.P. No 2233. The date of this sale of land on the estate is not known.
A poster has been found in the Map Room of The State Library advertising the second section to be sold and it clearly shows that blocks A,B,C,D were already sold. Other information given on this poster is as follows:
Subdivision Plan of Queensville Estate No 2 Saturday 28 July 1888.
Auctioneers in conjunction:
OPENING OF QUEENSVILLE RAILWAY STATION
Special Train from Spencer Street at 2.10 returning at 5.15.
FREE RAILWAY TICKETS From the Auctioneers.
Solicitors: Messrs. Klingender, Dixon & Kiddle, Bank Place
Surveyors: TERRY & OAKEN 9 St James' Buildings William St Melbourne.
Klingender, Dixon & Kiddle, were the firm of solicitors who acted in the transfer of the land from John Samuel Sims Sundercombe to The Queensville Land and Investment Company Limited.
The Railway Commissioners did indeed run a special train, for the public to attend this land sale at the Queensville Estate, to and from a platform at Footscray West. The station at Footscray West (changed to West Footscray on 1 September 1921) was officially opened for passengers on 1 October 1888. No trace has been found of the attempt to name the station Queensville.
Attached to Andrew Chirnside's Certificate of Title are seven sheets detailing seven clearly defined sections and it is thought that following the first two land sales that the Estate was then sold in five other sections on dates unknown.
The first sale recorded to individuals was on 11 December 1888 to Alfred and William Pridham both of Mount Alexander Road Flemington, who were described as Wholesale Butchers. The Title was given the No Vol 2112 Folio 422204.
The Pridham brothers bought 32 Lots at a total cost of 3,344 Pounds 10 Shillings and I 1 Penny. ($6,890) This gives an average price of 107 Pounds ($215) per individual lot. Whilst the final figure for all the 933 lots has not been found, if all 933 lots were sold for 107 Pounds ($215) then a total of 99,831 Pounds ($205,650) would have accrued on a investment of 45,000 Pounds ($92,700) less expenses.
The Pridham family had a factory at 21 Evans St.. Braybrook "for the treatment of animal products. Tallow, fertilisers, sausage casings, meat meal for poultry are the stable productions, along with the manufacture of Neatsfoot oil."(Sunshine Cavalcade 1951) and the son of William Pridham, William Jnr served on The Council of The Shire of Braybrook from 1919-26, 1929-41. He was the Shire President on three occasions 1933-34, 34-35, and 1940-41. One of William Pridham Jnr "greatest efforts has been his association with the Footscray District Hospital. He is the first and only President of the Committee which launched the appeal 30 years ago for the finance to build the hospital, and he lived long enough to see the great vision realised. Whilst still operating from the Braybrook address Pridham Organic Recyclers is no longer under the control of the Pridham Family.
An example of the inflated prices paid for lots on the Queensville Estate in the years 1888 - 1892 is the 61 pounds sterling ($159) paid by Amelia Chisolm during September 1890 for each of the two lots in Chirnside Street. Fifteen years later, in 1905, William Cheasley obtained six lots also in Chirnside Street for £5/5/- each ($13.65). As late as 1921, lots on the estate were being sold for £21 ($54.60).
Department of Public Works, 20 October 1919. To Town Clerk Footscray Sir, I have to advise your Council that the Shire Secretary of Werribee has furnished the Hon the Minister with particulars of a difference which he states has arisen between your City Council and the Werribee Shire Council in regard to the drainage of Queensville Estate, West Footscray. For the information of your Council I enclose a copy of the particulars of the difference as supplied by the Shire Secretary of Werribee. The Hon the Minister will be glad to learn whether your Council admits its liability towards Werribee Councils' Claim. I am further directed to say that in the event of your Council not admitting liability, the minister will make arrangements to hear the parties to the dispute and decide same under the authority given him by Section 723 of the Local Government Act 1915. Yours obediently. G.T. Drake Secretary. In the matter of the Local Government Act 1915 and in the matter of the dispute between the President and Councillors and Ratepayers of the Shire of Werribee and the Mayor Councillors and citizens of the City of Footscray. Particulars of difference or dispute between the above named Municipalities referred to The Honorable the Minster of Public Works in terms of Section 723 of the above mentioned Act and to be enquired into and decided by him. (1) That on the 25 th March 1911 Cr. Hills (Mayor) Crs. Fielding and Jenkins and the Surveyor (Mr. Trench) representing the Municipality of Footscray waited on the Werribee Shire Council in connection with a proposal for a main drain at Yarraville in the area of the municipality of Footscray and stated that the drain would take the drainage from portion of the Werribee Shire and that being so Werribee Council Should contribute a proportion of the estimated cost of 4,500 Pounds ($9,270) The matter remained in abeyance for some time. On the 31 st August 1912 the Mayor and other Councillors of Footscray again waited on the Werribee Council. The question was referred to the Engineers of the two Municipalities. On the 28 th September 1912 on the recommendation of its Engineer Werribee Shire agreed to Contribute 821 Pounds ($1,690) in full settlement of all claims. On the 26 th October 1912 the Footscray Council wrote stating that Werribee Council preparedness to contribute the sum of 821 Pounds towards the cost of constructing the Yarraville Main drain in full settlement of all claims in connection with the matter was received with thanks. (2) On the 26 th June 1916 The Werribee Council was advised that the drain had been completed through Footscray area to the boundary of the Werribee Shire. In April 1917 Werribee Shire paid the sum of 821 Pounds. (3) The area estimated to be drained into this main drain was as follows.- Braybrook Shire. 270 acres. Footscray North of Bendigo Railway Line 190 acres) Footscray South of Bendigo Railway Line 260 acres) 470 acres. Werribee Shire. 200 acres. (4) previous to the construction of the main drain to the boundary of the Werribee Shire residents of Queensville Estate, West Footscray in the Werribee Shire are prepared to prove that their properties were not flooded (5) It is alleged that during the time the proposal to construct this drain was being considered or at some time after it was approved of the Municipality of Footscray diverted its drainage from an area north of the Bendigo Railway Line and this drainage now runs through portion of the Werribee Shire eventually entering the main drain at a point of the boundary of the Municipalities in Harrison's Road. (6) Through this diversion residents of Werribee Shire in Queensville Estate, West Footscray, are frequently flooded out thereby suffering much inconvenience and their property depreciated in value. (7) Much correspondence has passed between the two Municipalities and finally the Werribee Council wrote on the 10 th March 1919 as follows.- Shire Hall Werribee 10 th March 1919. The Town Clerk City of Footscray Town Hall Footscray Dear Sir, Referring to previous correspodance in connection with the matter of drainage at West Footscray and flood water from an area of your Municipality entering and flowing through portion of Werribee Shire known as Queensville. As previously pointed out this drainage is causing much damage to public and private property at Queensville and the existing conditions cannot be allowed to continue. I have therefore by direction of my Council to request that your Council will without further delay have the drainage referred to diverted to some other course or controlled in some other way than at present. Your early reply will be a favour. Yours faithfully (sgd) D. A. Little, Shire Secretary. The following reply was received. Town Hall Footscray 26 th March 1919. Shire Secretary, Shire of Werribee. Dear, In reply to your letter of the 10 th instant I beg to state that the Council of the City of Footscray does not admit any responsibility or liability in regard to the construction of works connected with the drain or natural water course, flowing through portion of Werribee Shire known as Queensville. The Council therefore refuses to pay any sum whatever in respect of the drain outside its own boundaries. Yours faithfully. (Sgd) John Gent. Town Clerk. (8) That so long as this diversion of drainage is continued residents of Queensville Estate West Footscray in the Shire of Werribee are liable to be flooded out, their property much depreciated in value and the area generally damaged causing loss and expenditure after every flood to the residents and the Shire of Werribee in repairing damage The Honorable the Minister is asked to decide - (1) That the City of Footscray stio the diversion of drainage into and through the Shire of Werribee or portion thereof known as Queensville. (2) That is such diversion is not discontinued that the City of Footscray construct a proper drain through the portion of Werribee Shire which is flooded through such diversion and at its own expense except so far as it may be agreed that any drainage from Werribee Shire may enter such drain and to such extent the Werribee Shire is prepared to contribute. Dated the 26 th day of September 1919. The Common Seal of the President Councillors and Ratepayers of the Shire of Werribee was hereunto affixed in the presence of (sgd) J. McMurry, PRESIDENT. (sgd) James Brown COUNCILLOR (sgd) D. A. Little SECRETARY. In 1907 when the Hester family built three homes in Edgar Street, there were four earlier homes only - a bluestone home in Wales Street (Mr. Smith); brick home in Chirnside Street (Mrs, Daly); slate-roofed residence in Geelong Road ( Mr Dempster); and in Somerville Road, next to the now St. Paul's Church of England. In 1910 the Sands & Mcdougall directory for Footscray gave the following information on the number of people living in the streets: CHIRNSIDE STREET: Daley Wm, Thomas James, Shaw Geo, Hayes Mathew. CORONATION STREET: Reed Henry W, Vonthof Harry, Tow Joseph, Quarry S. M. WALES STRET: Grant J & J quarrs, Merritt Thomas, Cunningham Jas. EMPRESS AVENUE: Davidge Thomas, Meddings John, Fordham Geo. C.,McMahon John. QUEENSVILLE STREET: Hunter Henry, Dockerty John W..
As more houses began to be built, residents joined together to form Progress Associations and the three Associations which were active were The Kingsville, The Queensville and Clarendon Associations. (The names were taken from three big sub-divisions in the area, sub-divided around 1907 by Messrs Bishop, Thompson and Edgar respectively.)