Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society: Zander

Zander

The Zander home stands in Doncaster Road near Church Road. It is a large brick house set back from the street in a garden of lawns and bushes.

In recent years, a short wave radio antenna used by Albert Zander, a short wave radio enthusiast, has been a landmark for people driving along Doncaster Road.

The Zander story began in the 1854 when Johan Andreas Zander and his brother Wilhelm came to Australia. They were born and raised at: Bunche, Magdeburg, in Germany and were among the many Lutherans who left Prussia to find religious freedom.

Andreas purchased twenty acres of land from the Carlton Estate at the corner of Doncaster Road and the present Church road where he built a solid house of Wattle and Daube. Andreas, his brother Wilhelm and their mother Elizabeth, who came out later, all lived in the house.

Six years afterwards, Wilhelm married and moved to George Street, East Doncaster, where he lived in a hut that Gottfried Uebergang had built.

In 1858, Andreas married Maria Linke. During the next nine years, Maria bore him six children, in addition to a child by her previous marriage to John Linke. Maria had suffered from tuberculosis and in 1869, at the age of thirty three, she died. One of her children had already died and three more were lost in the following years, leaving only two survivors out of Andreasís and Maria's children.

In 1871, Andreas married Johane Loise Fischer. There were ?ve children from this second marriage - four of whom survived. One or the children, married Joseph Read (father of the late Bill Read, who was a member or our Historical Society).

Fire destroyed the ?rst Tender home about 1888. The fire was spectacular as flames roared into the air from the dry bush timber of the old house. The family lost everything. They were forced to live in their barn and packing shed in the orchard but it was over a year before their new house was ready. Clara, then only six, was badly burned on the legs. Eleonore Aumann, a neighbour, took her in and cared for her. To replace his burnt home, Andreas built a large new brick house well back from the road. These were the prosperous years prior to the depression when there was money to build well.

The walls were double brick, red at the sides and tuck-pointed polychrome brick on the attractive front facade where cast iron lace on the verandah gave the building an elegant facade. Slates covered the roof with its oregon framework, but later, when the slates became worn, the roof was recovered with red tiles. Inside the house, the high-ceilinged rooms were entered through elegant, grained doors and the cast iron grates in the ?replaces had carved marble surrounds. Half way down the hall moulded cherub heads surmounted by rams horns supported the dividing arch.

The house was large for it had to hold a family of two parents, a grandmother and ?ve children. Andreas suffered another loss in 1895 when his second wife Johanne Loise died. Twelve year old Clara, the only girl at home, was left to look after the family. She kept house and cooked for her father, her five brothers and her cousin Jack. In the following years, Andreas married twice more: Anna Harjes in 1896 and after Annaís death in Sydney, Emma Kay from the U.S.A.

When the eldest son Charlie married, Andreas moved to Rose Street, Box Hill. His four sons, Charlie, Benjamin, Harry and Joe, ran the familyís orchards at Doncaster Road, Mitcham Road and Park Road. Their grandmother, Elizabeth, survived to the age of eighty-six, although she had been blind for many years.

On 21 April 1888, Elizabeth Zander died and was buried in the Waldau Cemetery. She was the last adult to be laid to rest at Waldau.

During his life Andreas had been a community minded man. He was active in the establishment of the early Waldau church. Again, Andreas with John Winter, led the move to build the present brick church and he was also a member of the School Committee.

In 1916, Andreas Zander died at the age of 84.

1989 12 DTHS Newsletter

Anna Charlotte Zander (nee Haag), wife of Friedrich Wilhelm Zander, and later the wife of Friedrich Wilhelm Aurisch.
She was born on 28 February 1841 at Michelstadt, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and was married firstly to Wilhem Zander of Doncaster on 19 January 1860, and after his death in 1884, secondly to Friedrich Wilhelm Aurisch in 1885.
She died on 12 September 1902 at Sheephills, Victoria, aged 61. DP0810

Emma Kay Zander (nee Kolling) fourth wife of Johann Andreas Zander of Doncaster but later of Box Hill. She was born in 1852 at Troy, U.S.A., married Andreas Zander on 19 July 1899 at Box Hill, and died at Heidelberg in 1929 aged 77. DP0809

Johanne Louise Zander (nee Fischer) second wife of Johann Andreas Zander of Doncaster. She was born on 12 January 1848 at Klinzig, Prussia, married Andreas Zander at Geelong on 12 January 1871, and died at Doncaster on 2 March 1895, aged 47. DP0808

Zander house House in Doncaster Road, built by Andreas Zander about 1890. The picture shows the radio aerials used by Albert Zander, a radio enthusiast. DP0220

Doncaster Central Cricket Team was taken at the start of the new season following its premiership in C Grade in the late 1920s. Mr Fred Zander, the only member of the team still alive [Nov 2007], states the photo was taken at the East Doncaster Cricket Ground in Andersons Creek Road [near Shafter's orchard]. Albert Fromhold was captain of the premiership team. On the day this photo was taken, Ron Cousins played for East Doncaster. Dave Heaphy was the son of the licensee of the Doncaster Hotel, and the rest of the team were from well-known local families, except Billy Willis who lived in Box Hill.
Fred Zander was born in 1912 and in this photo he appears to be about 18. | Place: East Doncaster Cricket Ground,Andersons Creek Road DP0850

Zander Home: 783 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster (213.34)

This symmetrical, single-storey, double- fronted , Italianate, bichromatic brick house was built in around 1888 for the Zander family. It is in good condition. It has a hipped roof, a hipped curved verandah and a rear skillion extension. The chimneys are rendered and have classical mouldings; the eaves have flne, turned timber pendant brackets. The verandah valance and brackets are of cast-iron lacework with Tuscan timber posts. The windows are tripartite with bluestone sills and the four-panelled door has side and fanlights. The colours are reasonably appropriate. The roof has been replaced inappropriately . with dark glazed Marseilles ten'acotta tiles and the verandah floor, with concrete. There is a rear timber outbuilding.

This house was built to replace the original homestead of the Zander family, which was
destroyed by fIre in around 1888(1) The family are subsequently believed to have lived in the barn and packing shed on their orchard until the completion of their new house. The land was bought from the Carlton Estate by lohan Andreas Zander, a German emigrant, in the 1850s.

Architecturally, this building can be compared to (for example) 891 Doncaster Road.

Of local significance as a characteristic ltalianate house, significant for the area with alterations that can and should be reversed, and for its associations with the Zander orchardist family.

Sources:
1. Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society Newsletter, December 1989

City of Doncaster and Templestowe Heritage Study 1991 Richard Peterson.
http://www.manningham.vic.gov.au/file/26126/download

https://www.realestate.com.au/property/783-doncaster-rd-doncaster-vic-3108 Aug2018

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Zander

Zander

Zander Home: 783 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster (213.34)

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