History is our interest, but while we are involved with the past we are sometimes reminded that history is taking place. During the past year this has been very obvious with the construction of Doncaster Shopping Town and the surrounding road works. The upheaval in this area will create a further upheaval in the whole of Doncaster. The thousands who come into the area to spend money every week will stimulate changes that may startle us in the next few years. It is our job to record the changes that take place.
Picture of 1967 Serpell's Store from http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/doncaster/doncaster/16625.html
The change to the intersection of Doncaster and Williamson's Roads is so complete that the old intersection isn't there anymore.
In the 1860's this was called Tully's Corner. That was the first of a series of names. Tuckerband's, Lauer's, Gallus's, Serpell's and then a name that did not belong to a pioneer or even a resident was used when White of Mitcham rented the corner store. By all precedents the name should have gone when White left. This name no longer has any meaning. Now it would be more apt if the intersection was called DONCASTER CORNER.
Irvine Green writing in 1969 11 DTHS Newsletter
Henrietta Heerdink (who lived with her family in White's corner store in the late 1950's visited the people who lived in the house set back off the road behind the shrubbery just past the shop in Doncaster Road and told me they had kept their horses tails; which they had hanging up inside! Cheryl Enbom Facebook Feb2018
DTHS has other photographs in our archive of the early development of Shoppingtown (Westfield Doncaster).
The corner of Doncaster and Williamsons Roads showing Doncaster Shoppingtown under construction in 1969. The ornamental palm trees have already been positioned. It is thought that they came from Melbourne University. Photograph by Irvine Green. DTHS dp0115
Doncaster Shoppingtown under construction about 1969, showing the tower and the southern end of the centre which became Coles Supermarket. The palm trees along Williamsons Road are shown still supported by props. Photograph possibly by Irvine Green. DTHS dp0758
The main entrance and tower of Doncaster Shoppingtown facing Williamsons Road in 1976. Taken from the position of the plaque commemorating the Box Hill to Doncaster Tram, the Doncaster tower, and Serpell's store. DTHS DP0114
Part of Doncaster Shoppingtown, looking westerly across the car park towards Waltons and the tower in 1978. DTHS dp0116
The Commemorative Plaque at Doncaster Shopping Town, incorporating bricks from Serpell's original red brick store, is located in front of the shopping centre (Williamson's Road northern entrance). The bricks were purchased for $20 by our Society from the wrecker, and were stored at the Secretary's hone in the interim time between demolition of the old store and final building stages of Doncaster Shopping Town.
Doncaster Shopping Town Plaque
 | ||
| Doncaster Shopping Town inside. 1981 Herald-Sun |
The plaque set amongst the bricks with DTHS members of the time (1973) seated around.
Cleaning of the bricks was carried out by Irvine Green and Ken Smith. The setting and layout was designed by Mr. Ruggeri, architect to Westfield Development Corporation.
The wording on the plaque was drafted by our President (Irvine Green) and mentions the Toll Gate, the Tower, the Tram and the Corner Store (listed chronologically in that order).
The bronze plaque is set in the ground, and is surrounded by the bricks which fan out in a circle. This is encompassed by a grassed area incorporating a white seat, forming a circle around the plaque and brick paving.
We take this opportunity to thank all concerned and to say that we have been happy to cooperate with Doncaster Shopping Town re. historical information.
Muriel Green writing in 1969 11 DTHS Newsletter.
Cleaning of the bricks was carried out by Irvine Green and Ken Smith. The setting and layout was designed by Mr. Ruggeri, architect to Westfield Development Corporation.
The wording on the plaque was drafted by our President (Irvine Green) and mentions the Toll Gate, the Tower, the Tram and the Corner Store (listed chronologically in that order).
The bronze plaque is set in the ground, and is surrounded by the bricks which fan out in a circle. This is encompassed by a grassed area incorporating a white seat, forming a circle around the plaque and brick paving.
We take this opportunity to thank all concerned and to say that we have been happy to cooperate with Doncaster Shopping Town re. historical information.
Muriel Green writing in 1969 11 DTHS Newsletter.
Looking East from about same location as photo of Serpell's store (?) in Sept 2016
 |
| Doncaster Shoppingtown 2016 Herald-sun |
The intersection atop Doncaster Hill has had many names. In the 1850s it was Hislop’s, for his blacksmith’s forge on the north-east corner. Through the 1860s, it was Tuckerbaud’s - for Charlotte’s store on the south-east corner. An 1865 map shows the north-east as Tully’s corner. In the 1880s, when Heinrich Lauer’s bakery was on the south-west, it was Lauer’s corner. From 1888, the south-east corner was the Shire of Bulleen Pound and then, when Edward Gallus started his dairy, Gallus’ corner. In 1890 Richard Serpell built a splendid two-storied brick emporium on the north-east site. This was famously Serpell’s corner for forty years. Intermittently the corner gained recognition for the shopkeepers who leased it. Watkins’, Collyer’s and Beer’s; and from 1930 it was White’s Corner until 1969 when Shoppingtown was built.
Joan Webster Facebook OCT2017
Photo: Doncaster Corner c1960: Tram Road and Elgar Road, Doncaster, showing the Model Dairy paddock on the left, vacant land at the corner and new houses being built on the west side of Tram Road.
The orchard belonging to the Hanke family can be seen in the distance. The white weather-board house in Tram Road was the first to be built in that section of Tram Road on land that had belonged to Edward Herman Gallus. It was owned by the Gall family. DP0952
Crossroads at Doncaster
When white man first came to the district, there was no intersection. Doncaster Road was only a bush track that wound its way through the stringy-bark forest. The track led off to the east, taking pioneers deeper into the bush to, as yet, uninhabited, unnamed areas.
It was in the vicinity of this corner that, in a lonely bush hut, the first white child was born in the district. In 1841, William Harbour became the father of a baby girl, Margaret. At the age of eighteen, Margaret married William Beavis and became the forerunner of one of Doncaster's well-known families.
During the 1840's, the farm subdivisions of the Carlton Estate were leased to graziers and farmers. By the end of the decade, Doncaster Road was enclosed by post and rail fences. To the south, Wade had his stock yards on Koonung Creek. His dividing fence climbed up the hill and met the Doncaster Road fence at the centre of the present intersection. It continued on the other side to the end of his lease. To move cattle between his north and south paddocks, slip rails were lowered and cattle driven across Doncaster Road.
In the 1850's the shape of the district changed. The old leases were cancelled, the land was sub-divided, and access roads were surveyed. On the south, Elgar Road (first called Crossman Road or Whitehorse Lane, came up to the corner and on the north met Williamsons Road (originally called Middle Road).
By 1860, Christian Tuckebaud was running a store in his shingle roof cottage, on the south-east corner. Thomas Tully bought 20 acres on the north-east corner for £168 and across the road Joseph Beavis, the grandfather of William, rented a small house with an underground well from John Witchell.
In 1866, a Toll Gate was placed across Doncaster Road, west of Elgar Road. The Roads Boards were given the right to collect tolls from traffic moving from one loads Board district to another. This toll was shared with the Boorondara Board. The toll charges were: Carts - 3 pence; Cattle - 32 pence; Horses 1 1/2 pence; Sheep - 1/8 pence.
A toll keeper's house was built at the side of the road for Johnny Callighan, the first Toll Keeper. The Toll was most unpopular and people made every effort to avoid paying. Later, the gate was moved to the creek to catch travellers who might have come across paddocks. Tolls were abolished after a few years for the returns were unsatisfactory and caused too much ill feeling.
When the 1870's commenced, Thomas Tully had died and the land had been sold. The north-west corner had been bought by Edward Firth. For many years this land was known as Firth's Corner. Edward Spencer built a brick blacksmith's shop on the corner of Elgar Road, and across the road Christian Tuckebaud married Charlotte, the widow of a German settler. They were evidently incompatible, for Christian transferred the land to his wife and left the district, never to be heard of again.
Charlotte Tuckebaud, with the strong German accent, became well-known in the district. She grew lovely white strawberries and used to take them down to the corner in a wheelbarrow for one of the orchardists to sell at market. Ida Whittig, who lived close in Elgar Road, used to help in the Store, for Charlotte-was becoming an old lady.
In 1881, Ida Whittig married August Lauer, who had recently arrived from Germany. They ran Tuckebaud's store for a few years.
The Doncaster Heights Cricket Club played on the north-east corner on the hill that has now been carted away for the extensions to shopping town. At half-time they would come down to Lauer's Store to be served drinks by Lauer's attractive young bride, Ida.
A few years later, Lauer built a store across the road in front of Spencer's old forge building. August Lauer was an individual of character who never lost his German accent and had difficulty saying some English words. He was a baker and the bakehouse was at the other end of Doncaster, opposite the hotel. Although a short man, he could run fast and carried a bread basket on his head. The local boys used to make fun of him, but only when he was on his cart. Lauer used to say, "when I'm on the ground they call me Mitter Lauer". He objected to boys crossing his land and when he caught one he would say to the boy, "Next time you cross me land, go round". Everyone enjoyed Lauer's appetising "German Cake" and the good bread he baked. A loaf cost 2 1/2 pence.
Mrs Tuckebaud had sold her land to Edward Gallus. Later, in 1888, the Shire of Bulleen established a pound on the corner with Gallus as pound keeper.
The Serpell family bought a large area on the north-east coiner. Richard Serpell planted his orchard along Williamsons Road, while his mother and sister built a house called Mount Edgecombe on the hill along Doncaster Road. Richard Serpell was a successful orchardist and he became an equally successful businessman. At the height of the land boom, he bought a large area from the north-west corner along Doncaster Road and held a land sale with flag-decorated tents, champagne lunch and all the trimmings. Richard Serpell was one of the syndicate who formed a company to run Australia's first electric tram from Box Hill to the corner.
The line cut right through Edward Gallus's land up to Doncaster Road. Between the tram line and Elgar Road, Gallus built a small house as tea rooms and tram shelter. One evening, in 1891, the largest and most excited crowd that had ever been seen in the district assembled on this corner. A land company had fenced off the tram line where it crossed the company's land. With mock gravity, an effigy of the land company's secretary was carried to the corner and burnt by a wildly cheering crowd.
The land boom of the late 1880's encouraged many ambitious projects. In 1890 Richard Serpell planned a row of two storey brick shops to cater for the expected growth of Doncaster. He built the first store, an imposing building with poly-chrome brick decoration. The first tenants were Watkins and Collyer. The depression that followed the boom in 1892 ended any further development, and the store changed hands frequently. In 1900 it was leased by Miles and ten years later was known as Beers Store.
At the beginning of the new century, plans were being made to build a road along the old tram line that had been closed four years before. A spirit of co-operation moved people in those days. Immediately, land owners, who had lent land for the tram line, donated their land to the council. One land company wanted money for their land so Tom Petty promptly offered to pay for it himself. Another resident offered stone for road building from his own land. The rails were removed and Tram Road was opened in 1901.
The old Tram Refreshment Room had been enlarged and rented as a house. When Ted married, it was moved across the Tram Road and used as a house for Edward Senior. In the 1950's, when the dairy was sold, this house was moved again, and further enlarged, to the corner of Merlin Street where it still stands. The dairy was eventually sold to Model Dairy.
Before the First World War, a small timber building was built on Firth's paddock facing Williamson Road. It was used as Muscotts Hay and Corn Store. Shortly after, it was moved to face Doncaster Road and became Parmetters Saddle Shop. During the time of the war, Richard Serpell moved the building to his orchard and used it to house his cannery, producing tins of canned Doncaster fruit.
In the 1930's, A. E. White of Mitcham rented Serpell's store. It was publicised as ìWhite's Korner Storeî. Even though it was only White's store for less than twenty of its seventy-seven years, the name stuck and Serpell's store became known as White's corner.
 |
| Spencer's blacksmith shop |
 |
| Tram street view |
At the end of the 1960's, Doncaster Shopping Town was built. Major road building took place and an intersection large enough to cope with future traffic was built. The old toll keeper's house, and Lauer's store, by then an estate agent's office, were demolished and Elgar Road was bent to enter Doncaster Road further to the west. The intersection spread out and engulfed the site where Serpell's store had stood and in the levelling process even the soil of the old corner was carted away.
Source: Irvine Green writing in 1981 08 DTHS Newsletter. Reprinted in parts in 2001 09 DTHS Newsletter, 2001 12 DTHS Newsletter
The corner was known variously as Crofts, Serpells, White’s and Miles’s corner.
1930s A. E. White rents Serpell's Store on the corner of Doncaster and Williamsons roads. The store becomes known as ‘Whites Corner Store"
At end of 1960s, Serpell’s Store (White’s Corner Store) sold to Westfield Corporation for the development of what is now Doncaster Shoppingtown.
Doncaster resident Ken Sharp remembers his first trips out to the district in the 1960s, before he came to live there. He was able to observe the changes coming:
"At work, I was given a client to attend to in Doncaster and I vividly remember driving to what was then known as White’s Corner, where Doncaster Shoppingtown now is, and that was the end of the made road. To be honest, I’d never heard of W hite’s Corner until I made this journey. It was this old corner store, which was a typical Australian store with a verandah. Back then I thought, “Why would you want to go beyond this point? What is beyond there? Why would anyone want to live out here?”This was the edge of civilisation. I was living in Northcote then so Doncaster was almost country to us. I did manage to navigate my way to the client’s house. It was up to Whittens Lane, which is opposite what is now the Civic Centre, turn right - also unmade road, and turn left at the first or second street, which was a new little estate with made roads. There was a certain amount of glee when I got onto this made road and this particular guys house was probably one of about four on a new little estate that was obviously ex-orchard. I used to sit at the clients dining room table and look out over the hills and over the nearby orchards. Over the years that I was there working, bit by bit, you would see the orchards slowly disappear and more subdivisions, more blocks carved out, more houses. Every year, bit by bit, the orchard was getting smaller, and in the distance it was slowly being replaced by houses - trees down, and bareness and all that sort of business that comes with subdivision. I would see this guy probably once or twice a year, sometimes more, and I would notice that almost every time I went there, there was a big, dramatic change. "
Ken Sharp, interview, 31 May 2001
Delivered to Your Door
For housewives in the 1960s the advent of Shoppingtown, which was eventually built in 1969 on the site occupied by Whites Corner Store, forever changed the character of the local shopping environment. Judy Conway has lived in Doncaster since she and her husband bought a new four-bedroom home in 1968:
"It had a large garage and plenty of back garden where our future children could safely play. The building and extensions to Westfield Shoppingtown led to the gradual loss of the local shopping strip on Doncaster Road.’ (Judy Conway, questionnaire, 24 December 2000)
Gone forever perhaps is another shopping environment that only the residents of the district who lived in Manningham before World War II would perhaps recall:
‘I can remember the milkman who used to come early in the morning and deliver the milk. Mr Gallus used to milk his own cows then deliver it round the district, although not to everyone because some people used to keep their own cows. I can remember my mother put the billy out, inside the back door every night with the money. He would come round, probably about 6 o clock in the morning with the stainless steel bucket and a long ladle, and he just ladled the milk out of his big bucket into the billy.’
There were Lauers, the bakers, who made bread in their bakery off Victoria Street in Doncaster. The bread was delivered all round the district from a bread cart drawn by a horse:
‘The baker would call out at the back door with a basket of loaves on his arm, and you could select what you wanted and pay your money. He would put the money into a leather purse that he wore on a strap.’
There was the ice-man, Mr Keep. He used to deliver blocks of ice for the ice-chest, which was how things were kept cold before the days of refrigeration:
"He’d wrap a block of ice in a hessian bag, carry it under his arm on his hip, come into the vestibule we had then, and put the huge block of ice - probably about 15 inches long, about 12 inches wide and about 10 or 12 inches high —into the ice-chest for Mum because the ice was very heavy, and then Mum would pay him. The ice slowly melted in the top part of the ice-chest and the water went down a pipe and dripped into a tray on the floor under the chest. You always had to remember to empty the tray because if it overflowed, you’d find a pool of water on the linoleum around the ice-chest and you’d have to mop it up.’
The butcher and the grocer would also deliver to the door.
" Mr Mitchell was the grocer. He had a beautiful little old shop in Doncaster Road. One side was haberdashery and the other was groceries - a country store. Mitchell’s shop had originally been Thiele’s general store. It was not very big. I go into a supermarket these days, look at what’s on the shelves and wonder how it would ever fit into a country grocery store, yet somehow, back then, we managed. Sometimes a market gardener would come around to the houses in the district selling fresh vegetables from his van, but many people used to grow their own vegetables. Occasionally a fishmonger would bring fresh fish around for sale. cIt was very much home delivery in those days’.
Sometimes a trip would be made to the grocer shop.
‘Biscuits were always sold from the tin, a big tin. They were put into a paper bag from the tin. If you wanted cheese it was cut from a big block using a wire. You’d go into the shop, up to the counter, give the grocer the list and then you’d just sit there. He’d get everything for you then put it on the counter. All you had to do was pay him and put the things in your bag or basket. The shop was a place where you would often meet and chat with local identities.’
(Interview with Eric Collyer, 12 June 2001)
Pertzel, Barbara & Walters, Fiona 2001, Manningham : from country to city, Arcadia, Melbourne
Original First Shoppingtown Opened 30 September 1969 (Craig Martin, facebook)
Website: https://www.westfield.com.au/doncaster/
Shoppingtown site occupies an overall area of approximately 14.7 hectares. At present, the Planning Scheme allows for the expansion of the shopping centre to a maximum of 90,000 square metres of gross leasable floor area and 135,000 square metres of total floor area. This represents a doubling in size of the existing shopping centre.
Source: Manningham City Council fact sheet, 1997
No comments:
Post a Comment