Planning - what's new?

At a time when planning issues are on the minds of Port Melbourne people - (and when have they not been?), PMH&PS was intrigued to find these notes among Swallow & Ariell's archives held at the University of Melbourne.
Over a period of time Swallow & Ariell's factory expanded to include neighbouring properties. Charles Joseph Sarovich, Furrier and Rug Manufacturer conducted his business, and presumably lived at, 77 Beach St.

University of Melbourne Archives

He writes

‘I have heard that you intend building an Electric Bake House on the allotment adjoining my property. I wish to formally protest against this being done.' (June 28 1920)

He continues to press his concern

‘Am I right in presuming you have made your plans so that the light entering my three rooms will not be affected in any way? Otherwise I must object. Taking into consideration the excellent neighbourly feeling which has always existed between us, would it not be advisable to have a quite talk over these matters and try to clear up any differences which may arise later on.' (July 7 1920) 

Biscuits, puddings, cakes and more: Swallow & Ariell in Port Melbourne

This week’s post has got to be about Swallow & Ariell.  The Age Epicure devoted this week’s edition  to iconic Australian biscuits without mentioning Swallow & Ariell which operated continuously in Port Melbourne from 1858 to 1991.  PMHPS feels the need to talk biscuits. The former Swallow & Ariell’s factory buildings, now The Anchorage, continue to add interest and pleasure along Stokes, Rouse and Princes Streets.

An unusually pink moment in late afternoon

Thomas Swallow, born in Reading, traveled to California and Ballarat before setting up a business making ships biscuits in Port Melbourne.  His business partner Ariell died in 1877. He then went into partnership with Frederick Derham, his son in law.  This piece is not to dwell on the great civic contribution of both men, but the significant industry they presided over.

The scale of the operation was remarkable. From an early stage, the factory's operations were ‘mechanised to an impressive degree'.  Strategically located next to Port’s piers and the railway, Swallow &  Ariell was a fully integrated business. Company farms around Shepparton provided much of its wheat, and after 1889 most was ground into flour on the Port Melbourne premises. The company sourced fruit and vegetables for canning from farms in Mildura, Mooroopna, Kyabram and Wandin.

‘take  for instance their Muldura apricots and peaches. What a luscious fragrance meets you as the tin is opened and how rich is its glorious colour and how it glistens with the cold white syrup.’

From 1881, Swallow & Ariell owned sugar plantations in Cairns. The sugar was refined into treacle and golden syrup.
For the year ending 1 May 1920, the factory used 51 tons of butter, 2,740 eggs and produced more than 66 lines of biscuits. They also made puddings, elaborate cakes and icecream.
S & A was a significant employer – locally referred to as S&A College. At the height of the South African war it employed 1900 workers but even in 1991 it employed 450 people.

Stokes St, Port Melbourne 1987
Alison Kelly collection: Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

Australian Screen Online hold a promotional film about a (glamourised) day in the life of the Swallow & Ariell factory. It describes the sweet biscuits as ‘the daintiest morsels’, ‘gorgeously coloured’ while the Uneeda biscuit is ‘dried biscuit perfection’. The smell of baking biscuits is a sensory memory many Port Melbourne people share.
Got more information or stories to add? Comment below or send an email 

Sources and further information

Conservation Plan for the Swallow & Ariell Site, Port Melbourne, prepared for the City of Port Melbourne, 1991

Australian Screen Online http://aso.gov.au/ search by Swallow and Ariell

Port Phillip Heritage website images http://heritage.portphillip.vic.gov.au/Home search by Swallow and Ariell

They Can Carry Me Out: Memories of Port Melbourne, available from the PMHPS (see right hand pane)
Swallow and Ariell Biscuit Manufactory workers 1958 http://tinyurl.com/lhnl7kr