Launch of the ANZAC Centenary at Princes Pier: a time for re-connection

In a way it was fitting that it was a grey and rather sombre day for the launch of the ANZAC Centenary commemorations at Princes Pier. Today marks the day 99 years ago that the HMAT Orvieto departed from then Railway Pier in Port Melbourne. The Orvieto troop ship was the lead ship in the convoy to Albany, and then again led the convoy to the Middle East. Ted Baillieu, chairman of the ANZAC Centenary Committee, spoke of the moment of enlisting as a moment of dis-connection - when people separated from families, friends and communities. The ANZAC Centenary project is an opportunity to re-connect through personal and family stories to the shared history of the First World War.
A descendant of one of the soldiers on the Orvieto has gone on just such a journey into his father's past. At this distance he can only imagine what motivated his father to volunteer in those early days of the war. He referred to the amazingly extensive and accessible resources available to any person inquiring into their family history. They are available to us all.
PMHPS has made a list, for further exploration, of all those on board the Orvieto who gave a Port Melbourne address. (Of course, they are also available through the embarkation lists below).A brief scan suggests that Albert Street had most people on board.

Sources
ANZAC Centenary: Sharing Victoria's Stories
http://www.anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au
Embarkation of the Orvieto: including embarkation lists and images
http://www.anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au/remembrance/hmat-orvieto-embarkation
Herald Sun 21 10 2013

Its History Week from 20 to 27 October

What better way to celebrate History Week than to visit the City of Port Phillip's brand newly opened Emerald Hill Library and Heritage Centre in the former Post Office opposite the South Melbourne Town Hall.
If you can't get there for any reason, there is plenty to explore on the City of Port Phillip's Heritage Website http://heritage.portphillip.vic.gov.au/Home
If you are out and about in Victoria, there is a huge amount on. For a calendar of events, visit http://www.historyweek.org.au/events-search.php

Metropolitan Planning

Last week, Premier Napthine and Planning Minister Guy released Plan Melbourne which sets out the government's vision for Melbourne to 2050.
In the Society's collection is a copy of the first plan for Melbourne prepared by the newly formed Metropolitan Town Planning Commission in 1929. While the whole report is full of interest, unsurprisingly PMHPS headed straight for the Port Melbourne references. The report is also available online, downloadable chapter by fascinating chapter.
By 1929,  a considerable number of the Garden City Bank houses had been completed or were under construction, as can be seen in the photographs below. (The book is quite fragile so it couldn't be opened fully) Can you help in identifying some reference points?

Garden City Bank houses under construction

Brand new but treeless Crichton Avenue

Of particular interest are references to places still topical or in contention today. The further development of Fishermans Bend was contemplated in the Plan as follows: 'Fishermans Bend aimed at the creation of an industrial suburb of which 340 acres were planned for residential development, 420 acres for industrial purposes and over 80 acres for open space and playing fields.' (p254)
More about the 1929 Plan next week . . .

Further information
History of Strategic Planning in Melbourne
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/planning/plansandpolicies/planningformelbourne/planninghistory

PMHPS 2014 Calendar featuring Port's Hotels is now available

Historic Port Melbourne Hotels
The 2014 Calendar is now on sale for $12 from the Port Melbourne Town Hall Assist Desk - enter off Spring St south.
'In 2000 the Historic Port Melbourne calendar Pubs and Pastimes sold out, so that many of those who keep a collection haven't that copy. We therefore decided to publish an encore, and have included several favourite hotels from 2000'

Foundation stories

PMHPS finds it endlessly fascinating that it is still possible to 'read' the shaping stories of Port Melbourne in its street layout - the influence of the Lagoon and the Railway in particular.
This is well explained in this report: 'Perhaps the most significant element of Port Melbourne's infrastructure in terms of its ability to demonstrate aspects of the history of the place is its street layout. A reading of the history of the suburb reveals the background to the siting of the original settlement and its main route to Melbourne, the subsequent early surveyed street layout back from Beach Road along the axis of Bay St, the influence of the siting of the railway line in effectively dividing the suburb in two, and the much later and quite distinct planned layout of the model housing estates west of the railway line. (will post about those another day)
The original topography of Port Melbourne, is also reflected in the street layout. This is most important to our ability to visualise large natural features such as the lagoon which dominated local affairs for so long. Few suburbs have a street layout which so distinctly reflects different phases of its history.'
All the elements referred to above, apart from the 20th century housing estates - can be clearly seen  in this 1860 plan which would still help you find your way round Port Melbourne today.

The Borough of Sandridge 1860

Source: 
Port Melbourne: A Thematic History prepared for the City of Port Phillip by Allom Lovell and Associates 1994

Notice to Port-ers

• For Farams fans on facebook, Kevin Anderson has started a facebook page for the Last of the Independents. It includes some great still photographs from the documentary https://www.facebook.com/pages/Last-of-the-Independents
• First Fishermans Bend information session is on - this Tuesday 8 October, 5 to 7 pm at Sol Green Community Centre, Cnr Coventry and Montague Sts, South Melbourne

Ghost signs

Dr Stefan Schutt is documenting 'ghost signs' around Melbourne. That led to thinking about signs in Port Melbourne.
Port Melbourne's most splendid signs would have to be those that adorned the UDL building (now the id apartments) on Pickles St. They were painted by sign writer Keith Martin. UDL was a successor company to Joshua Bros Distillery which made brandy, whisky and rum here. More on Joshua Bros another day - this post is about signs.
It is perhaps unlikely that in today's more alcohol sensitive times that such overt advertising would be considered acceptable. The mural was  required to be preserved in the redevelopment to apartments. Here they are in all their splendour - uninterrupted by window openings.

Alison Kelly collection Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

The sign below is painted on the rear of the service station on the corner of Salmon St and Williamstown Road. Can anyone tell what product Diamond Hudson was?

An all time favourite is the barely visible Rootes sign on the roof of the former car makers in Salmon St (south side) between Williamstown Road and Plummer St. Sharing this photograph with you even though you can probably barely make out the sign - a better photo taken from above would show it more clearly.

Schutt says the signs 'remind us that the places we inhabit have former lives. We can easily forget that we're not the first to navigate these streets and live in these buildings.' (Age 28 09)

Do you know of of any other signs of interest in Port Melbourne?

Sources and further information
Ghost signs exhibition on line http://www.ghostsigns.com.au