 |
| 17 Arundel Rd, Park Orchards c1990s? |
Prior to the family owning it, it was requisitioned by the Army during the 2nd WW, and was used as a signal station, communicating with units in the Pacific area.
Mt grandfather Eric was still living there after my G.grandparents passed, until it was sold somewhere around the 90's? From memory, the new owner retained the original fire place/chimney and rebuilt a new house around it, which is unrecognisable.
Source: Craig Martin, Facebook June2017
 |
| 17 Arundel Rd, Park Orchards GoogleStreetView Nov2016 |
17 Arundel Road
We received this letter from Mrs. Mavis Jackson of Blackburn South.Dear Mr. Green,
Some years ago my husband, Ron Jackson donated to you some tools which had belonged to his deceased uncle, Frank Kenworthy, who had run a business in Ringwood in the early 1900s. You had informed us that the tools were to go to Schramm's Cottage in Doncaster. Some time ago we were able to visit the site, and were delighted to see the tools being displayed in the wheelwright shop, Sloyd room and other places.
While talking to the two ladies, a mother and daughter, who were on duty that day, I noticed on the book rack a book that you had written about Park Orchards, and that made me think of my times there during 1942-3 in the war years.
I thought you may be interested in the letter I had published way back in early 1993, so I am sending you a copy of it to read.
You may also be interested in the history of the house that we used as a signal station way back then. It was a little weatherboard cottage among the trees on the camp site. Some time after the war ended the house was bought by the Martin family, who lived there for some years. Then about 1984-5, it was bought by Mr. Herb Sackl, who realised that it had some historical significance. He has added to the house and made it much larger, but decided to keep the original facade at the front as it was back in the 1940s. He rang me after my story appeared in the local paper, and I was able to fill him in on some details of the house in war time. He said he always knew there was some army connection to his house but had never been able to find what it was. His address 17 Arundel Road. I am sure he would only be too pleased to talk to you if you would care to give him a ring.
Hoping this may be of some interest you.
Mrs. Mavis Jackson, Blackburn South
Mrs Jackson said that Mr. Sackl, while working in his garden, discovered a mass of cables running from the house to the road in the direction of the Club House.
Source: 1997 03 DTHS Newsletter
The First Houses in Park Orchards
In 1902 Tom Petty purchased 559 acres at Park Orchards.
He cleared the land, planted orchards with pine windbreaks and let out the orchards on a share farm basis. He built a two- room hut on the site of the Park Orchards Chalet for Harry Brown, the first man to have taken up an orchard. This was the first house to be built in the area. Four years later he moved four houses from Richmond for the men who ran the orchards. Harry Brown moved into one of these at the comer of Alva Avenue, now restored with brick veneer.
When the Country Club built the Chalet in 1928 they moved the house across Arundel Road and enlarged it. This became No. 17 Arundel Road.
At the commencement of World War II, the army requisitioned The Chalet and part of the land for a wireless interception base to monitor enemy signal to the Pacific area. The Army paid £3 a week compensation and carried out improvement costing £3,163. Altogether, the Army spent £12,280 on the camp. The equipment never arrived so this unit returned to Albert Park. In November 1943, the- LHQ Heavy Wireless Group purchased the Chalet and 2 acres for £2000. It was sold in 1946.
The Group used the Chalet for administration and recreation for the the officers. The house, no.17 was the signals hut that sent and received troop movement signals, in a four letter code, both to Australian bases, the Pacific, and around the world.
Source: Information from land purchases and sales information from rate books, published in 1997 03 DTHS Newsletter
No comments:
Post a Comment