The German settlement of Breslau
Victoria had 3 prominant german settlements:- Westgarthtown in the suburb of Thomastown with church and Ziebell farmhouse;
- Grovedale (previously called "Germantown"). Not much of the Lutheran settlement remains there - other than the small Lutheran Cemetery.
- "Breslau" later "Waldau"
The earliest recorded reference to the Lutheran settlement at Waldau (nowadays Doncaster) appeared in Pastor Matthias Goethe's church paper "Der Pilger in Victoria" (The Pilgrim in Victoria) for September of 1853.
He wrote:
Extract from Der Pilger in Victoria September 1853. This is the only document we know of detailing the origin of the Breslau/ Waldau/ Doncaster Lutheran settlement.
This land was subdivided into smaller allotments and apportioned among most of these settlers presumably on the basis of what each wanted or could afford to pay.
Johann Gottlieb Thiele was the first of several German families to settle in the area in the early 1850s. He purchased land along Ruffey Creek in two transactions: ten acres at £10 per acre; and subsequently a further 10 acres at £20 per acre. He and his small family lived in a tent until a small 2 room wattle and daub house was completed. He called his home "Friedensruh" (peace and rest). Additions were made to the house over the years including outbuildings and the property remains in family ownership to the present time.
Slide 4 shows original church in Bismark Street with its bell tower (In 1892, the church was demolished and rebuilt further south. The bell from the tower was transferred into the present church.) Around the original church was the burial ground. When the site was handed over by the church to the council around 1972, there was a flat part of the land that was most probably the location of the original church. The Schramm's cottage was relocated to this spot.
Bismark street originally followed the contour of the hill. (In 1888, the road was cut into the hill creating a steep embankment at the edge of the Cemetery). The entrance was most probably through the cemetery and the paling fence onto Bismark Street.
Sketch by Eugene von Geurard, Original wattle and daub Lutheran Church at Waldau Hill, Doncaster drawn by the painter, Eugene Von Guerard. The original sketch is in the Dixson Library, Sydney, and has an inscription in German "German Church at Waldau, May 5, 1859". Schramm's Cottage now occupies the site of the church. DP0090 (NOTE: Bismark St (now Victoria St) had already been cut into the hill creating a steep embankment).
In the second picture he shows 2 houses that stood behind the church, probably the home of J F Straube. Straube owned the largest holding in Breslau around the church and cemetery from Bismark St, along George St.
Other Lutheran settlers arrived soon after Thiele. They were the Straube, Walther and Simon families. Within two years another contingent arrived including the Aumann, Finger and Tucheband families. A third group included the Fromhold, Fuhrmann, Wittig, Lenkerstorf (the carpenter who would build the church), Hanke, Zander, Gunther, Stecher, Leber, Pump, Uebergang, Schukraft and Rosel families.
Slide: Looking north along Bismark St showing the pencil pines at the church site probably after the church was demolished.
Slide: Looking south showing embankment after 1888. New Lutheran church on hill.
The name Breslau was soon changed to Waldau, a name that still appears on early rate records of the district. We have no record of when this name change occurred or how it was initiated.
The roads board commenced in 1856.
1856 was also the first year of representative government, electors rolls were prepared and various electors gave their address as Waldau and Breslau (needs checking against rolls via a public library search of https://www.ancestry.com.au/c/au-electoral-records).
When roads were surveyed and formed, they were given German names: Bismarck Street (now Victoria Street), Wilhelm Street (now King Street) and German Lane or Waldau Lane or German Lane (now George Street).
These names were retained until 1916 when the names became unacceptable during World War I.
Slide: Early view on back Thiele, who was an amateur photographer, wrote "An ancient view". This probably dates the photo to the 1860's. Lenkerstorf home on a 2 acre strip. When Thiele purchased the 2 acres, the buildings were still there and were demolished and some doors and windows were used in Freidensruh outbuildings. Behind is probably the home of Carl Aumann Sen. The lands show ploughing by single furrow plough. The crops looks like vegetables rather than orchard trees inferring that this was taken before orchard trees had been planted or grown to dominate the landscape.
The church: The focal point of the settlement was, of course, the church dedicated on 26 December 1858.
Prior to this, services were held in the homes of members of the congregation - usually Aumann Sen or Straube. Whenever Pastor Goethe was able to come out from Melbourne, a communion service was held.
Pastor Goethe was pastor of Trinity Lutheran East Melbourne which conducts services in German. Only a pastor was empowered by the Lutheran church to "distribute communion" (i.e. the Christian rite involving the eating of bread and drinking of wine, re-enacting the "Last Supper"). In between the pastor's visit, the congregation would have lay speakers and once a month he would go half-way to Doncaster in a horse and buggy and meet a member of the Doncaster Congregation sent to bring him back. Pastor Goethe probably stayed the night at his sister's home as she had married Gottfried Thiele.
The earliest surviving minutes of the congregation make the following references to the building of the church:
April 30th 1858: "The meeting opened with a hymn and prayer. Mr Gottlieb Thiele was elected Chairman. After the Chairman had said a few words about the purposes of the meeting, a building committee was elected. Three sites for the chapel were offered to the congregation: one acre by Mr Straube, one acre by Mr Finger Snr. on the rear part of his land and a half acre by Mr Aumann Snr. As the sites offered were not known to some of those present at the meeting, it was resolved to inspect the sites before a vote is taken and to meet again on Monday May 3rd.
Meeting of congregation May 3rd 1858: "It was agreed unanimously to accept the site offered by Mr Straube. Mr Walther Snr. was asked to inform Mr Finger by letter that his offer had not been accepted. The meeting asked Mr Straube to speed up the release of the site in order that a beginning might be made with the erection of the church. Approval was given by the meeting to Mr Straube's plan for the erection of a building 40 feet long, 20 feet wide and 10 feet high, the construction of the walls to be of poles with lathe and plaster and the roof to be covered with palings (shingles). The committee was asked to make the necessary preparations for the building of the church.
Meeting of the congregation June 23rd 1858: "The document from the Savings Bank was read. It stated that the Commissioners of the bank were quite prepared in consultation with Mr Straube to prepare a Contract of Sale for the Trustees regarding the acre of land to be used for church purposes. Five trustees were then elected. The credit in the bank was £31 and 12 shillings. Mr Walther Snr. was asked to submit a financial statement to the next meeting. A motion was moved that the church be erected on beams and this was carried by a majority vote. Mr Lenkerstorf (carpenter/ builder) estimated that 2 men could erect the building in 4 weeks without its doors, windows and plastering. Mr Lenkerstorf offered to work on the building for 6 shillings a day and Mr Walther Snr. offered to help him for 5 shillings per day. A motion to this effect was adopted unanimously. Following remarks that the building without enough beams would not be sufficiently secure, it was resolved to erect the walls to a height of 12 feet instead of 10 feet and to place 9 beams stayed by other beams. The Trustees and Building Committee were asked to select the most suitable site for the building on the block and prepare an estimate of the cost. It was resolved further that one third of a chain be added to the eastern boundary in order that the church might stand more in the middle of the block. Estimated cost by Trustees and Building Committee: In each of the two long walls - 3 windows at £ 2 = £6; In the eastern gable wall -2 half windows at 10 shillings = £1; One double door = £2; 1500 palings at 20 shillings per 100 = £15; 500 feet of laths = £4; 3000 shingles = £4 / 10 /; Nails, tie clips etc = £3; Labour for erection = £13; Total £48 10 /-. Mr Thiele Jnr., Mr Aumann Snr. and Mr Straube Snr. offered to do the planning for the building.
Meeting of the congregation July 22nd 1858: "An estimate was made of the amount of money which had been spent since the building was commenced. It was resolved that a list for voluntary contributions be circulated. Mr Lenkerstorf suggested that the gables be closed in with boards and Mr Thiele Jnr. suggested it could be closed in with plaster. The latter's suggestion was adopted. The names of those who had done (voluntary) work was read and it was revealed that 9 men had not yet worked. Mr Thiele Snr. Moved and Mr Aumann Snr. seconded that arched (gothic) windows be made and that Mr Lenkerstorf submit a drawing of the windows to the committee and make an estimate of their cost. The motion was carried.
November 25th 1858: Mr Straube Snr. was requested to prepare a bill of sale for the block of land presented by him.
December 26th 1858: The church was dedicated by Pastor M. Goethe. In the evening, a tea meeting was held. Since then, the congregation meets for divine services at 10.00 am on all Sundays and on all church festivals observed on week days. Whenever a pastor can come out to Waldau, an evening service is held. Our English neighbours use the church on Sunday afternoons for services and Sunday School.
Meeting held after the church was consecrated at the close of 1859: The following resolutions were adopted by the congregation:
November 3rd 1859: "A tea meeting at 5.00pm was held in the church for the purpose of raising money for the purchase of the church bell and the completion of the interior of the church.
After a few years, more non-Lutheran pupils were enrolled so the curriculum was modified to meet the requirements of a more practical education. Several subjects were now taught in the English language.
The church became too small as enrolments increased so in1863 application was made to the Board of Education for a grant to erect a larger school building However, parents were unable to raise funds for the matching required grant so the application lapsed.
Max Schramm then decided to build a new school on his own land at his own expense. This was a brick building roofed with shingles.
In 1875, Max Schramm, built his own house next to the school and in 1876 established a Lutheran school in his home until it was closed by the congregation in 1884 due to declining enrolments as a number of parents had opted to send their children to the state school close by.
The cemetery was in use until 1888 when it was closed by order of the Government because of increasing seepage from the graves into nearby Ruffey Creek which was still being used as a domestic water source.
Altogether 125 people were buried there - 80 children and 45 adults. The last adult buried there was Elizabeth Zander who died on 23 April 1888, and the last child was Ludwig Thomsen who died 24 June 1888.
Slide: Finger and Aumann graves just outside the picket fence in front of Atkins Cottage. There were never many monuments (probably less than a dozen in total) in the Waldau Cemetery probably due to the lack of money available to the congregation compared to other Lutheran communities such as Thomastown.
For many years after its closure, the cemetery was lovingly cared for by John Finger, a member of the congregation who lived nearby, but during World War 11, most of the tombstones were destroyed through acts of vandalism. Thomastown did not suffer the same vandalism.
In 1974 the site was handed over to the Manningham City Council and has since been under the care of the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society.
A manse, also designed by J. A. B. Koch, was built alongside the church in 1909 and first occupied by Pastor Held.
They were confronted by the formidable task of clearing the land to build their modest homes and plant crops that would provide a source of income. These consisted of wheat, vegetables and berries and along with dairy produce and eggs, were transported by horse and cart to Melbourne where they were sold firstly at the Eastern Market in Bourke Street (at the Exhibition St corner where the Southern Cross Hotel was later built) and in later years at the Victoria Market.
Some trees were also planted as early as the late 1850's and when these became established opened the way for more extensive plantings of stone and ??? fruit trees. These were well suited to the area and in time became a major source of income.
The district of Doncaster and Templestowe was destined to become the largest fruit growing area in Victoria for more than a century.
J F Walther - Teacher at a school in the german church in East Melbourne. Probably lived in Doncaster for a time. Tried to get a school started in Doncaster. Later he went to Murtoa.
Straube did not remain in Doncaster for very long. He retired to Fiji and was buried there.
Carl Aumann Sen who owned the land occupied by the present manse. After he died they purchased and acre for the church.
Carl Aumann Jun (son)
G (correction) Berger
J Pump had a house in George St
G Furhmann lived in King St - built in three stages - probably stone section first, then weatherboard. Demolished some time in the 1970's
Schucraft eventually built a house on Serpell's road, which later became the Rassmussens homestead and is still standing today.
Custom was when shingles started to crack and leak they would put batons over and lay corrugated iron (leaving the shingles underneath)
Winter came from Geelong in the late 1870's and although he was a member of the Lutheran congregation, he lived in High St. He built a home that is still standing
John Finger - Heimat
Finger his brother who moved to Nth Balwyn and had a huge area from Balwyn Rd to Greythorne Rd planted with lemons
Henry Finger built his house from handmade bricks on property.
Many of the early settlers knew little or nothing about fruit growing. Some were artisans or tradesmen in their European homeland, so fruit growing on a commercial scale was a new and unknown venture for them and one fraught with many problems.
Berthold Bruche and Carl Aumann Jnr. were bootmakers and Gottfried Thiele and his family ran general store.
Fruit growing was an industry carried on through generations within families and some of the most successful and respected orchardists in this district were descendents of those early German settlers with such names as: Aumann, Thiele, Finger, Fromhold, Zerbe, Schukraft, Dehnert, Ubergang, Blobel, Rieschieck and Winter. Some played a prominent role in the development of the district. They brought with them to their homeland many of the traditions of their fatherland.
German of course was spoken in the home and children therefore spoke German before they conversed in English. Church services were always conducted in the german language until 1915.
The killing of a pig to provide ham, bacon and various sausage meats was always the province of the menfolk. It was a days work and the produce was shared among relatives or friends who came to help on the day. Then were noted for their cooking and baking skills.
German yeast cake also known Streuselkuchen was baked weekly in many households and fruit from the orchard was preserved or used for jam making. Nothing was ever wasted.
"On 2nd December, 1860 the congregation met in order to discuss the arrangements of a Christmas celebration for the children. It was resolved that the celebrations be held together with a tea meeting on 24th December . At 5.00pm the tea meeting (at which many German and English people assembled) was opened with a hymn and prayer in the shadow of a few trees. Later, as darkness set in, the church lamps and candles on the Christmas tree were lit and the gathering, among whom there were some fifty children, was invited by the ringing of the church bell to enter the church. After a number of addresses Christmas gifts were distributed among the children then everything was taken off the tree. At about 10.00pm the celebrations were closed with a hymn and a prayer."
Source: Lutheran Settlement at Waldau (Presentation to DTHS General Meeting by Eric Collyer Jan2022) Audio Recording. PPT Presentation
"The German settlement of Breslau. Several German families recently purchased 750 acres of land in the vicinity of Templestowe on the Yarra about ten miles from Melbourne. There they intend to establish a German village to be called Breslau. Some weeks ago a meeting was held at that very place and it was decided to make the following announcement. We the undersigned land owners in the colony of Victoria have decided that Section 9 a b and Section 10 situated near Templestowe in the County of Bulle en should be known henceforth as Breslau. Signed: Straube, Helbrig, Walther, Rienitz, Gruenert, Kaiser, Simon, Schultz, Gottlieb Thiele, Gottfried Thiele, Christian Finger Snr., Christian Finger Jnr., Wilhelm Finger, Heinrich Finger and Pastor Goethe."
Extract from Der Pilger in Victoria September 1853. This is the only document we know of detailing the origin of the Breslau/ Waldau/ Doncaster Lutheran settlement.
This land was subdivided into smaller allotments and apportioned among most of these settlers presumably on the basis of what each wanted or could afford to pay.
Johann Gottlieb Thiele was the first of several German families to settle in the area in the early 1850s. He purchased land along Ruffey Creek in two transactions: ten acres at £10 per acre; and subsequently a further 10 acres at £20 per acre. He and his small family lived in a tent until a small 2 room wattle and daub house was completed. He called his home "Friedensruh" (peace and rest). Additions were made to the house over the years including outbuildings and the property remains in family ownership to the present time.
Slide 4 shows original church in Bismark Street with its bell tower (In 1892, the church was demolished and rebuilt further south. The bell from the tower was transferred into the present church.) Around the original church was the burial ground. When the site was handed over by the church to the council around 1972, there was a flat part of the land that was most probably the location of the original church. The Schramm's cottage was relocated to this spot.
Bismark street originally followed the contour of the hill. (In 1888, the road was cut into the hill creating a steep embankment at the edge of the Cemetery). The entrance was most probably through the cemetery and the paling fence onto Bismark Street.
Sketch by Eugene von Geurard, Original wattle and daub Lutheran Church at Waldau Hill, Doncaster drawn by the painter, Eugene Von Guerard. The original sketch is in the Dixson Library, Sydney, and has an inscription in German "German Church at Waldau, May 5, 1859". Schramm's Cottage now occupies the site of the church. DP0090 (NOTE: Bismark St (now Victoria St) had already been cut into the hill creating a steep embankment).
In the second picture he shows 2 houses that stood behind the church, probably the home of J F Straube. Straube owned the largest holding in Breslau around the church and cemetery from Bismark St, along George St.
Other Lutheran settlers arrived soon after Thiele. They were the Straube, Walther and Simon families. Within two years another contingent arrived including the Aumann, Finger and Tucheband families. A third group included the Fromhold, Fuhrmann, Wittig, Lenkerstorf (the carpenter who would build the church), Hanke, Zander, Gunther, Stecher, Leber, Pump, Uebergang, Schukraft and Rosel families.
Slide: Looking north along Bismark St showing the pencil pines at the church site probably after the church was demolished.
Slide: Looking south showing embankment after 1888. New Lutheran church on hill.
The name Breslau was soon changed to Waldau, a name that still appears on early rate records of the district. We have no record of when this name change occurred or how it was initiated.
The roads board commenced in 1856.
1856 was also the first year of representative government, electors rolls were prepared and various electors gave their address as Waldau and Breslau (needs checking against rolls via a public library search of https://www.ancestry.com.au/c/au-electoral-records).
When roads were surveyed and formed, they were given German names: Bismarck Street (now Victoria Street), Wilhelm Street (now King Street) and German Lane or Waldau Lane or German Lane (now George Street).
These names were retained until 1916 when the names became unacceptable during World War I.
Slide: Early view on back Thiele, who was an amateur photographer, wrote "An ancient view". This probably dates the photo to the 1860's. Lenkerstorf home on a 2 acre strip. When Thiele purchased the 2 acres, the buildings were still there and were demolished and some doors and windows were used in Freidensruh outbuildings. Behind is probably the home of Carl Aumann Sen. The lands show ploughing by single furrow plough. The crops looks like vegetables rather than orchard trees inferring that this was taken before orchard trees had been planted or grown to dominate the landscape.
The church: The focal point of the settlement was, of course, the church dedicated on 26 December 1858.
Prior to this, services were held in the homes of members of the congregation - usually Aumann Sen or Straube. Whenever Pastor Goethe was able to come out from Melbourne, a communion service was held.
Pastor Goethe was pastor of Trinity Lutheran East Melbourne which conducts services in German. Only a pastor was empowered by the Lutheran church to "distribute communion" (i.e. the Christian rite involving the eating of bread and drinking of wine, re-enacting the "Last Supper"). In between the pastor's visit, the congregation would have lay speakers and once a month he would go half-way to Doncaster in a horse and buggy and meet a member of the Doncaster Congregation sent to bring him back. Pastor Goethe probably stayed the night at his sister's home as she had married Gottfried Thiele.
The earliest surviving minutes of the congregation make the following references to the building of the church:
April 30th 1858: "The meeting opened with a hymn and prayer. Mr Gottlieb Thiele was elected Chairman. After the Chairman had said a few words about the purposes of the meeting, a building committee was elected. Three sites for the chapel were offered to the congregation: one acre by Mr Straube, one acre by Mr Finger Snr. on the rear part of his land and a half acre by Mr Aumann Snr. As the sites offered were not known to some of those present at the meeting, it was resolved to inspect the sites before a vote is taken and to meet again on Monday May 3rd.
Meeting of congregation May 3rd 1858: "It was agreed unanimously to accept the site offered by Mr Straube. Mr Walther Snr. was asked to inform Mr Finger by letter that his offer had not been accepted. The meeting asked Mr Straube to speed up the release of the site in order that a beginning might be made with the erection of the church. Approval was given by the meeting to Mr Straube's plan for the erection of a building 40 feet long, 20 feet wide and 10 feet high, the construction of the walls to be of poles with lathe and plaster and the roof to be covered with palings (shingles). The committee was asked to make the necessary preparations for the building of the church.
Meeting of the congregation June 23rd 1858: "The document from the Savings Bank was read. It stated that the Commissioners of the bank were quite prepared in consultation with Mr Straube to prepare a Contract of Sale for the Trustees regarding the acre of land to be used for church purposes. Five trustees were then elected. The credit in the bank was £31 and 12 shillings. Mr Walther Snr. was asked to submit a financial statement to the next meeting. A motion was moved that the church be erected on beams and this was carried by a majority vote. Mr Lenkerstorf (carpenter/ builder) estimated that 2 men could erect the building in 4 weeks without its doors, windows and plastering. Mr Lenkerstorf offered to work on the building for 6 shillings a day and Mr Walther Snr. offered to help him for 5 shillings per day. A motion to this effect was adopted unanimously. Following remarks that the building without enough beams would not be sufficiently secure, it was resolved to erect the walls to a height of 12 feet instead of 10 feet and to place 9 beams stayed by other beams. The Trustees and Building Committee were asked to select the most suitable site for the building on the block and prepare an estimate of the cost. It was resolved further that one third of a chain be added to the eastern boundary in order that the church might stand more in the middle of the block. Estimated cost by Trustees and Building Committee: In each of the two long walls - 3 windows at £ 2 = £6; In the eastern gable wall -2 half windows at 10 shillings = £1; One double door = £2; 1500 palings at 20 shillings per 100 = £15; 500 feet of laths = £4; 3000 shingles = £4 / 10 /; Nails, tie clips etc = £3; Labour for erection = £13; Total £48 10 /-. Mr Thiele Jnr., Mr Aumann Snr. and Mr Straube Snr. offered to do the planning for the building.
Meeting of the congregation July 22nd 1858: "An estimate was made of the amount of money which had been spent since the building was commenced. It was resolved that a list for voluntary contributions be circulated. Mr Lenkerstorf suggested that the gables be closed in with boards and Mr Thiele Jnr. suggested it could be closed in with plaster. The latter's suggestion was adopted. The names of those who had done (voluntary) work was read and it was revealed that 9 men had not yet worked. Mr Thiele Snr. Moved and Mr Aumann Snr. seconded that arched (gothic) windows be made and that Mr Lenkerstorf submit a drawing of the windows to the committee and make an estimate of their cost. The motion was carried.
November 25th 1858: Mr Straube Snr. was requested to prepare a bill of sale for the block of land presented by him.
December 26th 1858: The church was dedicated by Pastor M. Goethe. In the evening, a tea meeting was held. Since then, the congregation meets for divine services at 10.00 am on all Sundays and on all church festivals observed on week days. Whenever a pastor can come out to Waldau, an evening service is held. Our English neighbours use the church on Sunday afternoons for services and Sunday School.
Meeting held after the church was consecrated at the close of 1859: The following resolutions were adopted by the congregation:
1. That only those persons who receive Holy Communion in the church be regarded as members of the congregation.
2. That members of the congregation pay 15 shillings for the grave of an adult and 12 shillings for the grave of a child under 10 years of age.
3. That the charge for a reserved grave be £2.
4. That in the case of people who are not members of the congregation the charge for a grave of an adult be £1 and of a child under the age of 10 years, 15 shillings.
5. That the charge for a reserved family section be in keeping with the number of graves.
6. That for the digging of a grave and for the setting out of a border around the grave, the gravedigger be paid 10 shillings in the case of adults and 8 shillings in the case of children.
7. That plans for the layout of the cemetery be prepared.
8. That children and adults be buried in separate sections.
9. That a man be appointed as sexton or verger and that he be permitted to erect a home for himself on a part of the cemetery allocated to him.
10. That before the commencement of the main church service at 9 and 10 o'clock the church bell be rung for ten minutes and that this be done also before the commencement of all official acts in the congregation.
11. That after the death of a member of the congregation, the bell be rung for 15 minutes at 10 o'clock and also for 15 minutes prior to the arrival of the casket at the grave.
12. That every day the bell be rung 3 times: at the rising and setting of the sun and at 12 o'clock noon. 13. That in addition to a quarterly collection the sexton or verger receive an annual salary of 4 pounds.
November 3rd 1859: "A tea meeting at 5.00pm was held in the church for the purpose of raising money for the purchase of the church bell and the completion of the interior of the church.
School at Waldau
At a meeting held in April 1860, it was resolved to establish a German school at Waldau, and to ask Mr Max Schramm whether he would accept the position as teacher. On April 29th that year, Mr Schramm informed the congregation that he would accept the proposal to serve as teacher of the school. Thereupon Mr Thiele Snr., Mr Aumann Snr, and Mr. Meyer were elected as school elders. It was resolved to ask Pastor Goethe to examine Mr Schramm and if he was found to be proficient, to install him as teacher. The installation service was held on Ascension Day, May 17th, 1860. The school was opened on May 29th with 11 German children in attendance. Max Schramm was remunerated by fees paid by parents of the children. Instruction was originally in the German language and the school day began with a hymn, short devotion and prayer. In the early years, the curriculum was slanted more to a religious than a secular education. The school committee inspected the school every quarter.Max Schramm. Thiele Family of Doncaster 1849-1989 pp030 Schramm
The church became too small as enrolments increased so in1863 application was made to the Board of Education for a grant to erect a larger school building However, parents were unable to raise funds for the matching required grant so the application lapsed.
Max Schramm then decided to build a new school on his own land at his own expense. This was a brick building roofed with shingles.
Later on it became the common school. Much later on it was modified and built on at the font as was the ES&A bank on Main Road Doncaster for many many years.
Slide: Max working in his garden c Kate and Rahel
The new school opened in 1865 on Doncaster Hill approximately where the Council Offices are today. Attendances fluctuated as children were often needed at home to help with fruit harvest on the family orchard.
In 1867, the school was taken over by the Government and operated as a common school, by request of the school committee under the leadership of max Schramm.
The Education Act of 1873 abolished any form of religious teaching. The Government decreed that education had to be free, compulsory and secular. Max Schramm was unable to accept these terms and so for conscience sake, resigned his position as teacher, and offered to sell the school to the Government for 600 Pounds. The Government offered to pay only 350 Pounds A price was subsequently negotiated and the school then became State School 197 with Oswald Thiele as head teacher.
Slide: Max working in his garden c Kate and Rahel
The new school opened in 1865 on Doncaster Hill approximately where the Council Offices are today. Attendances fluctuated as children were often needed at home to help with fruit harvest on the family orchard.
In 1867, the school was taken over by the Government and operated as a common school, by request of the school committee under the leadership of max Schramm.
The Education Act of 1873 abolished any form of religious teaching. The Government decreed that education had to be free, compulsory and secular. Max Schramm was unable to accept these terms and so for conscience sake, resigned his position as teacher, and offered to sell the school to the Government for 600 Pounds. The Government offered to pay only 350 Pounds A price was subsequently negotiated and the school then became State School 197 with Oswald Thiele as head teacher.
DP0077 Thiele Family of Doncaster 1849-1989 pp064 Thiele Doncaster School 197 Group
In 1875, Max Schramm, built his own house next to the school and in 1876 established a Lutheran school in his home until it was closed by the congregation in 1884 due to declining enrolments as a number of parents had opted to send their children to the state school close by.
Max Schramm as pastor
In 1876, Trinity congregation invited Max Schramm to become Pastor of the congregation. An examination board comprising the President of the Lutheran Synod, three Pastors and three laypersons examined him and after their approval was given, he was ordained as Pastor of Trinity congregation on November 5th, 1876. Pastor Schramm had a long association of 47 years with Trinity congregation from 1876 until his retirement in 1907. He died on 25th October 1908 and at his own request was laid to rest quietly in the Box Hill Cemetery
In 1901, Max Schramm as Pastor was presented with an Illuminated Address written by 5 trustees of the Lutheran Church: "The faithfulness and excellence with which you discharge your duties as a teacher of our young people for quite a number of years in this place, together with your irreproachable conduct and earnest Christian spirit, gave rise to our wish in 1876, when there was a pronounced change in circumstances, to issue, with the approval of our Synod Leadership, a call to you to be our Pastor. For this reason, we feel compelled on this 25th anniversary of the day of your ordination, to express on behalf of our congregation, our warm thanks for your past work, and to offer you our heartfelt congratulations and blessings. May God, our saviour, be pleased to grant you energy and health to continue your Ministry among us for quite a long time to come, and to pour out his rich blessings on you and your family now and forever."
In 1901, Max Schramm as Pastor was presented with an Illuminated Address written by 5 trustees of the Lutheran Church: "The faithfulness and excellence with which you discharge your duties as a teacher of our young people for quite a number of years in this place, together with your irreproachable conduct and earnest Christian spirit, gave rise to our wish in 1876, when there was a pronounced change in circumstances, to issue, with the approval of our Synod Leadership, a call to you to be our Pastor. For this reason, we feel compelled on this 25th anniversary of the day of your ordination, to express on behalf of our congregation, our warm thanks for your past work, and to offer you our heartfelt congratulations and blessings. May God, our saviour, be pleased to grant you energy and health to continue your Ministry among us for quite a long time to come, and to pour out his rich blessings on you and your family now and forever."
Reunion for old scholars in the old Atheneum Hall in 1901
After the handing over of this illuminated address, a committee member, August Zerbe gave a short congratulatory speech and presented Pastor Schramm, on behalf of the congregation, and as a token of their appreciation, with a gold filled purse. After these honours and presentations, Pastor Schramm rose to his feet. Deeply moved, he thanked God that his third call, namely the one to this congregation he had finally believed in order to accept, having declined 2 other similar ones which he had received earlier because he did not have the courage to accept them.
In 1907, Max Schramm retired.
In 1908, Max Schramm died. At his request he was laid to rest in a quiet funeral in the Lutheran Section of the Box Hill Cemetery (Waldau Cemetery closed in 1888). The president of the Melbourne Lutheran Synod was there at the burial.
Maxmillian Von Schramm BIRTH 20 Feb 1859 DEATH Nov 1908 (aged 49 BURIAL Box Hill Cemetery Box Hill, Whitehorse City, Victoria, Australia PLOT L-*-0007 MEMORIAL ID 123946148 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123946148/maxmillian-von_schramm]
After the handing over of this illuminated address, a committee member, August Zerbe gave a short congratulatory speech and presented Pastor Schramm, on behalf of the congregation, and as a token of their appreciation, with a gold filled purse. After these honours and presentations, Pastor Schramm rose to his feet. Deeply moved, he thanked God that his third call, namely the one to this congregation he had finally believed in order to accept, having declined 2 other similar ones which he had received earlier because he did not have the courage to accept them.
In 1907, Max Schramm retired.
In 1908, Max Schramm died. At his request he was laid to rest in a quiet funeral in the Lutheran Section of the Box Hill Cemetery (Waldau Cemetery closed in 1888). The president of the Melbourne Lutheran Synod was there at the burial.
Maxmillian Von Schramm BIRTH 20 Feb 1859 DEATH Nov 1908 (aged 49 BURIAL Box Hill Cemetery Box Hill, Whitehorse City, Victoria, Australia PLOT L-*-0007 MEMORIAL ID 123946148 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123946148/maxmillian-von_schramm]
Waldau Cemetery
The first burial at Waldau took place in December 1854 when August Lenkerstorf, the one year old son of August and Catherine Lenkerstorf, was buried on land owned by Friedrich Straube. i.e. the first burial was on private land. Straube subsequently donated the land to the congregation for the building of the first church.The cemetery was in use until 1888 when it was closed by order of the Government because of increasing seepage from the graves into nearby Ruffey Creek which was still being used as a domestic water source.
Altogether 125 people were buried there - 80 children and 45 adults. The last adult buried there was Elizabeth Zander who died on 23 April 1888, and the last child was Ludwig Thomsen who died 24 June 1888.
Slide: Finger and Aumann graves just outside the picket fence in front of Atkins Cottage. There were never many monuments (probably less than a dozen in total) in the Waldau Cemetery probably due to the lack of money available to the congregation compared to other Lutheran communities such as Thomastown.
For many years after its closure, the cemetery was lovingly cared for by John Finger, a member of the congregation who lived nearby, but during World War 11, most of the tombstones were destroyed through acts of vandalism. Thomastown did not suffer the same vandalism.
In 1974 the site was handed over to the Manningham City Council and has since been under the care of the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society.
The new church
By 1891, the cost of keeping the old church in repair was so great that the congregation decided to build a more substantial church building, and a piece of land, further south in Bismark Steet was purchased from the estate of Carl Aumann Snr for this purpose. The new brick church with its slate roof and belfry was designed by the noted architect J. A. B Koch and built by G. W. Freeman at a cost of 1,039 Pounds. With furnishings, the total cost was 1,303 Pounds. The church was dedicated on April 21, 1892 by the President of the Victorian Synod, Pastor Herlitz. The procession from the old to the new church was led by the brass band of the congregation. Inside the church is a wrought iron spiral staircase which goes to the gallery upstairs.A manse, also designed by J. A. B. Koch, was built alongside the church in 1909 and first occupied by Pastor Held.
Life of the people
The early settlers toiled to make a living and raise a family.They were confronted by the formidable task of clearing the land to build their modest homes and plant crops that would provide a source of income. These consisted of wheat, vegetables and berries and along with dairy produce and eggs, were transported by horse and cart to Melbourne where they were sold firstly at the Eastern Market in Bourke Street (at the Exhibition St corner where the Southern Cross Hotel was later built) and in later years at the Victoria Market.
Some trees were also planted as early as the late 1850's and when these became established opened the way for more extensive plantings of stone and ??? fruit trees. These were well suited to the area and in time became a major source of income.
The district of Doncaster and Templestowe was destined to become the largest fruit growing area in Victoria for more than a century.
J F Walther - Teacher at a school in the german church in East Melbourne. Probably lived in Doncaster for a time. Tried to get a school started in Doncaster. Later he went to Murtoa.
Straube did not remain in Doncaster for very long. He retired to Fiji and was buried there.
Carl Aumann Sen who owned the land occupied by the present manse. After he died they purchased and acre for the church.
Carl Aumann Jun (son)
G (correction) Berger
J Pump had a house in George St
G Furhmann lived in King St - built in three stages - probably stone section first, then weatherboard. Demolished some time in the 1970's
Schucraft eventually built a house on Serpell's road, which later became the Rassmussens homestead and is still standing today.
Custom was when shingles started to crack and leak they would put batons over and lay corrugated iron (leaving the shingles underneath)
Winter came from Geelong in the late 1870's and although he was a member of the Lutheran congregation, he lived in High St. He built a home that is still standing
John Finger - Heimat
Finger his brother who moved to Nth Balwyn and had a huge area from Balwyn Rd to Greythorne Rd planted with lemons
Henry Finger built his house from handmade bricks on property.
Many of the early settlers knew little or nothing about fruit growing. Some were artisans or tradesmen in their European homeland, so fruit growing on a commercial scale was a new and unknown venture for them and one fraught with many problems.
Berthold Bruche and Carl Aumann Jnr. were bootmakers and Gottfried Thiele and his family ran general store.
Fruit growing was an industry carried on through generations within families and some of the most successful and respected orchardists in this district were descendents of those early German settlers with such names as: Aumann, Thiele, Finger, Fromhold, Zerbe, Schukraft, Dehnert, Ubergang, Blobel, Rieschieck and Winter. Some played a prominent role in the development of the district. They brought with them to their homeland many of the traditions of their fatherland.
German of course was spoken in the home and children therefore spoke German before they conversed in English. Church services were always conducted in the german language until 1915.
The killing of a pig to provide ham, bacon and various sausage meats was always the province of the menfolk. It was a days work and the produce was shared among relatives or friends who came to help on the day. Then were noted for their cooking and baking skills.
German yeast cake also known Streuselkuchen was baked weekly in many households and fruit from the orchard was preserved or used for jam making. Nothing was ever wasted.
Christmas at Waldau 1860
I would like to close this presentation tonight by reading the following extract from minutes of Trinity Lutheran congregation. It conveys to my mind a deep nostalgic feeling of what Christmas must have been like at Waldau in those early years of German settlement ."On 2nd December, 1860 the congregation met in order to discuss the arrangements of a Christmas celebration for the children. It was resolved that the celebrations be held together with a tea meeting on 24th December . At 5.00pm the tea meeting (at which many German and English people assembled) was opened with a hymn and prayer in the shadow of a few trees. Later, as darkness set in, the church lamps and candles on the Christmas tree were lit and the gathering, among whom there were some fifty children, was invited by the ringing of the church bell to enter the church. After a number of addresses Christmas gifts were distributed among the children then everything was taken off the tree. At about 10.00pm the celebrations were closed with a hymn and a prayer."
Source: Lutheran Settlement at Waldau (Presentation to DTHS General Meeting by Eric Collyer Jan2022) Audio Recording. PPT Presentation
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