Thomastown History of
A Brief History of Thomastown
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[edit] Post Office
The first postmaster in Melbourne was appointed in 1837. The first overland mail in Australia, was carried by pack horse, between Sydney and Port Phillip (Melbourne) in 1838. Eleven years later there were 36 Post Offices in Victoria. In approximately 1856, saw the first postal facilities at Preston. In 1858 Mail, was carried by coach from Preston to Merriang, via Epping & Woodstock.
[edit] Thomastown Postmaster Appointments
9 June 1862 Mr Edward Perry school principal, was postmaster, he operated from the school. It was later transferred to a small hall near the corner of Spring St. Aug 1862 Mail was increase to 6 days a week 1882 Richard Clinnick appointed postmaster, this was operated from his bootmaker shop, This shop was between the school and Spring St 1888 Theodore Wallis a farmer, was postmaster, he lived at the corner of High & Spring Streets 1893 Mrs Slattery was postmistress and operated from the Railway station. 1905 Benjamin Clinnick was postmaster in the bootmaker shop that his father operated from in 1882 Aug 1932 Cecil Hood was postmaster when the Post Office/Store at the corner of Spring & High Streets was destroyed by fire. There were several postmasters/mistress, during these years, I have only listed those stating location.In 1968, the population of 6,500 , warranted an Official Post Office, rather than agencies. 1 Sept 1969 Thomastown Post Office as we see it today was opened. Feb 1976 Alan Arnup was appointed post master.
[edit] Transport
Wagons and horses or bullocks, were the only means of transport, until the train line to Whittlesea opened in December 1889. Steam trains carried passengers and goods, timber was a big industry in Whittlesea Kinglake area. The steam hauled goods train finished in approx 1956, and at that stage the Rail Motor Service from Thomastown was the last rail service on the line. Passengers from Princes Bridge would catch the electric train to Thomastown, where the rail motor continued the journey to Whittlesea. Intermediate stations were Lalor, Epping, South Morang, Mernda, Yan Yean, and Whittlesea .In addition to the stations, there were several Rail Motor Stopping Places, where the train would stop, a ladder lowered to assist passengers to alight and join the train. The railway line from Lalor to Whittlesea closed on 30th November 1959. The section from Lalor to Epping re-opened as electrified track in 1964, with the new terminus about 500m from the original Epping Station. The rails remained intact to Whittlesea until approx 1970, when the line was dismantled. The platform at Yan Yean is still clearly visible from Plenty Road. Maybe in the future, trains will again return to Whittlesea..
[edit] Electricity
The line from Melbourne to Reservoir was electrified approximately around 1923 – 1924. In December 1929, it was extended to Thomastown. (Electric cables in Thomastown 1 June 1928) The motor train still ran to Whittlesea, until November 1959, when it closed, This was when the electrified rail was extended to Lalor Station, In the late 1960’s Epping became the end of the line. The track from Epping to Whittlesea was dismantled. It is hoped that one day this will be replaced. The only access to Whittlesea was by bus or car. An item of interest. The first electric Train in Australia, ran in Melbourne on 28 May 1919. This was the red train known as The Red Rattler it had sliding doors. Dog boxes, with swing doors, were used behind Steam trains and converted to electricity. These were still running until a few years ago when the new trains came (2000+).
[edit] Water
The Yarra River was the only water source for Melbourne, by 1849 it was becoming polluted. The water was carted in timber barrels to homes. New ideas were put forward for alternate sources, eventually, the Melbourne Council decided on the Plenty River area. Aqueducts and piping were run. The first sod for Yan Yean was turned 20 December 1853. Completed and the supply officially turned on in 1857. Piped water in Thomastown, approximately 1926, possibly only down High Street.
[edit] Communication
Australia’s first telegraph line began operation in 1854 between Melbourne and Williamstown. In 1878 Melbourne had the first Australian manual telephone exchange. When Lalor Fire Station opened 30 January 1958, radio was the only link with adjoining stations. With the opening of Telephone Exchange at corner of High & Spring Streets in 1959, telephones became available as materials and man power permitted. Early phone lines came from Reservoir.
[edit] Roads
In the early stages, these were just wheel tracks, as wide as the carriages and wagons that used them. The German migrants laid bluestone along German Lane as Main St and Mountview were known in those early days. So they had access to the Church at the end of Hurtle Street on the creek. Epping District Road Board was formed 1854, this went South to Bell Street, Preston, later it was extended to Northcote. 1859 saw completion of Epping Road, constructed from local rock and gravel. Toll gates were placed on the roads to help pay for the maintenance of them, these stopped around 1867. Settlement Road was planned 1866, Mahoneys Road opened 1893, with the completion of the bridge over the Merri Creek, Country Roads Board took over 1913. Horse drawn vehicles were still the main transport until 1915.
[edit] Housing
In 1946, 245 acres of land was purchased by ex-serviceman’s co-operative, this was known as the Peter Lalor Estate, now Lalor. Unmade roads, no drainage, caused many problems, smells, flies, mosquitoes and rats. Council eventually put gravel on more used roads. 1956, Epping Road/High Street, was bitumened by only 1 car wide, with the edges unmade. Roads were still unmade up until the mid 1960’s and later. Sewerage was not available until late 1960’s. 1961 Brick Veneer House with NO roads or Sewer cost app $10,000.00 1978 Brick Veneer House with Roads & Sewer Cost app $40,000.00
[edit] Industry
A flour mill and corn crushing plant were operated near corner Spring and High Streets, market gardening and general farming also dairy farming. Morgan operated largest dairy farm in the state, arrived Thomastown 1874. He milked 320 cows, employing forty men, he rented 2,500 acres, in 1922 this land had been subdivided. One of the first manufacturing industries in 1928 was Fowlers Pottery in Settlement Road, It wasn’t until 1955, that other industries came to Thomastown. Bostik opened 1958, and Tyree soon after, Engelhard 1962. Today we have a lot more factories, on former farming land.
[edit] Milk
It is not commonly known the Pura Dairies, one of the largest was originally started by one of the German migrants that had the property near the German Church.
[edit] Shops
Only two or three shops were in Thomastown in 1955, they grew to 17 in 1957 with more being built. When this was original written 1978, I had a comment I think you can pick them by the stepped parapets on the fronts but I think today 2005 a lot of them have been dramatically changed. 1961 Thomastown was the main Shopping Centre 1970’s saw the Opening of Woolworth’s in High Street now IGA (Previously Campbell Motors) Safeway in Lalor, followed later by Coles - Lalor became the main shopping centre.
[edit] Hotels
In the early days because of travel time on horseback, there were many hotels along the roads, for overnight travellers. They were also used as meeting places for District Roads Boards. There was one near where Ruthven Station is now, called Merrilands Hotel, this has long been demolished.
The former Belmont Hotel in Thomastown demolished to make way for the ring road opened to the west of its site in 1854. The timber Belmont was purchased by McCoy in 1874, during his tenancy, fire destroyed the hotel. He rebuilt in brick, this was still existing as part of the extended hotel, when it was demolished.
[edit] Sources:-
The Plenty by J W Payne 1975 Lowdens publishers--Preston, its Lands and People. By H W Foster 1968 Pub.F Cheshire--Report Primary Area Study Team One 1977 Latrobe University--Ampol book of Australiana by Sidney J Bower 1963 Currajong Press--Australia this Changing Land by Manuel & Buhen Angus & Robertson--Public Relation Department’s Victorian Railways, MMBW, SEC & Australia Post--Shire of Whittlesea ( City of Whittlesea)--A Picture Reference of Australia--And various individuals that I have spoken to.
This was a poster study I put together after the Primary School was burnt in 1978. Updated Beryl Patullo June 2008
