Under modern conditions it is indeed difficult to understand the hardships and struggles of a district Roads Board in the sixties of the last century. The Templestowe Board was one of the poorest of the Boards around Melbourne; they had a large area to cover and the Government subsidy, being based on the rateable value of the property in the Board's area, was almost non-existent in comparison to what other Boards and Shires received; it is not be wondered at that practically the whole of the Templestowe Board's revenue was spent on the Templestowe Road and it was well into the sixties before any noticeable funds were spent on the Doncaster Road.
In April of the year 1868 the Commissioner for Roads and Bridges requested the Templestowe Board to supply information on the amount of road construction that had taken place within their area since the inception of the Board. The clerk was directed to reply stating that they had no objection to supplying the necessary information for the past financial year, but they had no funds available for the clerical labour involved in furnishing returns since the Board's inception but, on the Central Authority replying that they also had no funds available for such a purpose - but were anxious to complete their records - the task was undertaken as a labour of love, and their returns showed that, between December, 1866, and April, 1868, a total of 2 miles 38 chains of road had been completely formed, drained and metalled comprising of : the Templestowe Road - 1 mile, 57 chains, the Doncaster Road - 57 chains and Thompson Road - 3 chains, besides which the Templestowe Road had 3 miles, 21 chains formed and drained only, the Doncaster Road had 2 miles, 21 chains formed and drained and the Thompson Road 35 chains, a total of 54 culverts had been erected.
The formed road at this period in Doncaster did not extend beyond the present Church Road, and in wet weather horses would sink to their knees in parts of the road beyond the East Doncaster Coal Stores. In September, 1866, Mr. E. Tatham presented a petition from ratepayers and residents using the Old Warrandyte and Doncaster Roads near the juncture of Springvale Road. The petition stated that a paddock, through which a bush track had once led, had been fenced off by its owner, Mrs W. J. Rutledge and, as the Government Road was almost impassable, they had no means of access to or from their properties. The petitioners prayed that the Board would either survey a new road through Mr. Rutledge's paddock or else make the Government Road passable. After due consideration, the Board decided that it would be cheaper to survey a new road and Rutledge was paid the sum of £25 for his property.
The same year the Nunawading Board signified that they would have no objection to the Templestowe Board surveying a road from Deep Creek, through their territory to the White Horse Road, providing it would entail no financial expenditure to them. 2 years previously, Mr. Sparkes had informed the Board that he had been unable to trace the original Government Survey road of 1840. The sum of £12,12.0 was passed for surveying expenses. Though the Board knew they would not have the means to construct the road for many years to come, it was part of their far-sighted policy to ensure that the district would be well served with connecting roads in the future.
A further move by Mr. Matthew Henry Hoare to establish a toll gate at the junction of Thompson and Templestowe Roads was defeated. The motion was seconded by Mr. Joseph Thompson, a Templestowe member, but Ricardo took exception to it, stating that it would be undue hardship on the residents and it was placed before a public meeting at Templestowe on the 23rd of September which doubtlessly decided against it by a large majority. Mr. William Kent also forwarded a petition signed by 37 residents requesting the Board not to establish the toll gate.
In November, 1866, Mr. Sidney Ricardo resigned from the Board after nearly 10 years continuous service. His loss was felt very deeply and, on the motion of Robert Williamson - seconded by Evans, a vote of thanks was unanimously passed to him for the able and efficient way he had carried out the business of the Board during his long term of office as chairman, the clerk being instructed to communicate the same to Mr. Ricardo
Early in 1867, Mr. Edmund Cotter, Lessee of the Doncaster Toll Bar, stated that his finances were in far from a healthy position, herds of cattle were being driven across unfenced land in the Carlton Estate and the evasion of the toll had reached serious proportions. The only satisfactory solution, he said, would be to fence the cross roads leading to Nunawading or remove the toll to Rags Corner. It was resolved to write to Mr. R. C. Bagot, proprietor of the Carlton Estate, requesting that he be good enough to erect a fence on the south side of his property; the latter gentleman, however, does not appear to have seen eye to eye, for he replied that he had no funds available for the purpose but would have no objection to the lessee erecting the fence at his own expense if he chose to do so. The following August, Mr. Sparkes wrote to the Boorondarra Board stating that his Board had decided to call a special meeting to consider abolishing the toll, as they were dissatisfied, not only with their share of the takings, but also with the upkeep of the Doncaster Road in the Boorondarra territory.
Mr. Sparkes resigned his position as clerk to the Board on December 18th, 1867, and it was resolved that the clerk be employed on a full time basis at £2. 2. 0 per week. Mr. John Hutchinson of Anderson Creek was selected from 16 applicants for the position, but he resigned after only a couple of weeks. His appointment, which was on a salary of £124 a year, was strongly criticised by Mr. James Lacey who contended that there were competent applicants for £84 a year less. Fresh applicants were then called for the position when Mr. Rutledge's application for £100 per year was passed over in favour of the former chairman Sidney Ricardo, who was engaged as clerk to the Board and Toll Manager on a salary of £80 per annum.
In February, 1868, the first permanent hands other than the clerk was employed by the Board, when F. Hardridge was appointed working overseer on the Doncaster Road on a salary of 30s. a week, and Michael Calnen overseer on the Templestowe Road on a similar salary. Colin Phillips, who gave 25 years of loyal service, was appointed rate collector the same year and succeeded in meriting the thanks of the Board when he collected the sum of £221 in rates. Phillips became a well-known figure in the district - was known as "Doggie Phillips" as he also collected the dog tax and various residents were in the habit of hiding their dogs when he was seen approaching, but always a whistle from him would bring the dog running from its hiding.
In March, 1868, a resolution moved by Edward Tatham reminds us that the era was one of deep social unrest, and Finian Riots were the common occurrences of the day. He moved: "That it be resolved that the members of the Templestowe District Board, having heard of the cowardly and like attack made on His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh at Sydney, N.S.W., takes this present opportunity of expressing their abhorrence of so foul a crime and requesting Your Excellency to convey to His Royal Highness the deep sympathy felt by members of the Board and beg you will express their heartfelt good wishes for his speedy recovery and restoration to our precious Queen free from any ill effects from the dastardly attempt made on his life."
The letter was signed by the chairman and clerk and sent to the Governor of Victoria, Sir John Manners-Sutton. The Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, 2nd son of Queen Victoria, was shot in the back by a fanatical Finian, whilst attending a picnic on Sydney North-Shore. He recovered and returned to England very soon after.
On the 21st June, 1869, the clerk announced with regret the death of the Chairman of the Board in the person of Mr. James Lacey who had been a Board member since its earliest days and was the only leader of the Templestowe Board or the subsequent shires to die whilst holding office. The Clerk was instructed to draft a suitable letter to his widow in recognition of his very fine service to the authority.
In October of the same year, Mr. Rutledge moved a motion which entailed the rearranging of the Board's officers, whereby the Clerk was to be also a qualified Engineer and Surveyor. The motion was carried and the Board was regretfully compelled to give Mr. Ricardo 3 months' notice of the termination of his services; he was later given the position of paid treasurer at a salary of £10 a year. Ricardo's place was taken on January 6th, 1870, by Mr. Thomas O'Brien, who gave long and valuable service to the Templestowe Board and later to the Bulleen and Templestowe Shires.
Towards the close of 1869 the Board decided to survey two new roads through its territory, one being High Street from Koonung Creek to Manningham Road, and the other was Williamson Road which was put through largely by the efforts of Mr. Robert Williamson. The Board had considerable difficulty as it did not possess the necessary funds to purchase the land. In September of that year we find the Clerk writing to Mr. R. C. Bagot as follows :-
"Sir,(September, 1869)
I am instructed by the Board to inform you that if you make over to them for public roads certain lands in the Carlton Estate from the junction of the Lower Templestowe Road to Doncaster Toll Bar, and also from Campbells Slip Panel to Kennedy's Creek they will make no claim on you for purchasing the said roads.
Your Obedient Servant,
S. Ricardo, Clerk to the Board."
Campbells Slip Panels were situated at the corner of High Street and Manningham Road, it would appear, however, that the road had been in use for some years prior to this. The road on the Templestowe side was then known as Mannings Road, but it was a dead-end lane and did not go right through to the main Templestowe.
The same month the long drawn-out argument between the Toll Lessee and the Board came to a head. No satisfactory working arrangement for the toll had been devised; Mr. Cotter had, on several occasions, asked to be relieved of his contract owing to the continued evasion, and Mr. Hoare moved that the gate be removed to Koonung Creek Bridge. The motion was carried on the casting vote of the president and, as Boorondarra Board had no objection, the change was put into effect the same month. The toll had been a continual source of worry to the Doncaster residents since it had been established, but as they had never possessed a majority at the Board table, there was little they could do about it.
The continuous efforts made by the adjoining authorities in the early sixties to get the Templestowe Board to unite with them broke out afresh in the early seventies. At one stage the clerk had letters both from the Nunawading and Boorondarra Authorities on the table at the one time, but, though the latter councils pointed out in glowing terms how great the advantage would be for the local residents, but the Board was just as adamant to retain their original status. On the 25th March, 1871, a letter was read from Mr. John Stevenson, Secretary of the Central Roads Board, stating that he had received a petition from 26 people residing in the Board's area stating that they were in favour of a union with Warrandyte and the Upper Yarra Shire, Lilydale. The Board replied that the 26 signatures represented only a small proportion of the number of ratepayers on their books and when the true position had been explained to them they had repudiated the suggestion altogether. It is, they said, the united opinion of a large majority of the ratepayers in the district of Templestowe, that it is undesirable to make any junction with Warrandyte or the Upper Yarra Districts.
A more hopeful attitude, however, was struck the following October, when Mr. Wilson, proprietor of the Evelyn Hotel at Anderson Creek, wrote that the Warrandyte District had been completely neglected by the Upper Yarra Shire and asked if the Templestowe Board would be willing to have Warrandyte as part of their District, and if they were agreeable would they state what steps would be necessary to put the same into effect. The Chairman was requested to send Mr. Wilson the necessary data for the transfer. His letter was later laid on the Board's table.
A petition which throws some interesting light on the extreme isolation of the tiny village of Deep Creek was presented to the Board in 1871 by Mr. Kent; it was signed by 23 residents and requested that a road be opened through Mr. Rutledge's property to give the residents of Deep Creek an outlet to Doncaster Road. Messrs. R. Clay and E. Fatham were authorised to investigate the proposal but reported that their road was only track running through private property which had been in use for years, but over which the Board had no control. The Blackburn Road had been surveyed but was not passable.
In February, 1872, Mr. Rutledge resigned his seat on the Board and his place was taken by Mr. Richard Sorpell who was one of the most public spirited citizens in the districts he served only the one term with the authority. His many munificent gifts of land and other works for public purposes did much for the development of the district.
On September 12th, 1872, Mr. Max Von Schramm headed a deputation from the committee of the newly erected Doncaster Athenæum praying that the Board would make use of their magnificent new hall for their office and meetings. The Doncaster members favoured acceptance of the committee's proposals but not the Templestowe members, who stated they would rather see the Board build its own office on land recently granted by the Government for the purpose on the corner of High Street and Templestowe Road. They won the day and Mr. O'Brien was directed to draw up plans for a Board office and to have the same ready for the meeting the following week. The building was erected soon after. It remained in use as Shire Offices until 1915, it now serves as the pavilion on the Templestone Recreation Ground. Previous to the erection of this building the Board met in a tiny office rented from Mr. Evans for £3 a year.
On September 26th the Secretary received a letter from the International Exhibition in London requesting the Board to forward photographs of other matters of general interest about the district to the exhibition; the Board's reply was: "as there are few if any exhibits, as well as exhibitors in the district the Board does not feel competent to forward any returns."
On June 1st, 1875, the Warrandyte people having presented the necessary signatures, the territory which now comprises the Warrandyte Riding was officially severed from the Lilydale Shire and united with the Templestone District Board. This acquisition did add to the Board revenue but also increased its liabilities considerably. The present Warrandyte-Ringwood Road, then known as the Parish Boundary Road, was quite impassable; it served some scattered settlers around South Warrandyte and connected with the White Horse Road, though there was no Ringwood in those days. The main road from Warrandyte to Templestone was equally bad, particularly the section of the Old Road which struck off at Deep Creek at right angles and joined with Newman's Road about a quarter mile nearer the river than the present road. In November, 1870, Mr. C. S. Stewart, P.M., who was compelled to use this road regularly in order to hold the Court of Petty Sessions at Anderson Creek, complained of the state of the road. The Board's reply was as follows: -
"Sir,
In reference to your letter of the 28th ult. calling this Board's attention to the bad state of the public road through Templestowe to Anderson Creek. I am directed by the above Board to inform you that it is their intention to reform and repair (as far as their finances will allow) the bad state of the public road through Templestowe as far as Mr. Smith's house this summer, and would be very happy to make the other places good if they had the means.Thomas O'Brien, Clerk."
In July, 1873, the Board endeavoured to obtain some Government assistance when the Chairman, Edward Tatham, wroe to the Commissioner of Roads and Bridges as follows :-
With the annexation of the Warrandyte section, the Net Annual Valuation of the Board rose to £10,300 which, under the act, was sufficient for the District to be proclaimed a Shire, but no steps were taken in this direction until the year 1875 and then it was more to offset a further move by Heidelberg to have the Templestowe Road District made a Riding of their Shire.
After a slight readjustment of boundaries with the Nunawading Shire, the Templestowe Road District was officially proclaimed as the Shire of Bulleen on the 3rd of May, 1875. Statistics for the year show the estimated population of the new shire to be 1540, dwellings numbered 340, ratepayers 325. The total value of rateable property was £156,000 and the Net Annual Valuation £10,460. The net income from rates amounted to £522 at a 1/4 in the £1 and there were 80 miles of roads within the Shire. It is noticeable that, with the annexation of Warrandyte, the value of rateable property rose from £48,000 to over £150,000, but the Net Annual Valuation rose by less than £5,000.
Source: We believe from handwritten notes in records that the following text is an unpublished manuscript in 2 volumes (Ch1-11 and Ch12-21) written by Louis Radnor Cranfield (1927- 14 Oct 1992) F.R.HIST.S. (Fellow of the Royal Historical Society). Find a Grave Record. National Library of Australia Record.
"Sir,The appeal appears to have fallen on deaf ears and, in December, the much mooted toll gate was established at the corner of Foote and Union Streets, Templestowe, with a check gate at the junction of Thompson and Manningham Roads. It was not so profitable as the Doncaster Gate, but the proceeds did not have to be shared with another authority. The charges were the same as those operating at the Johnson Street Bridge Toll Gate at Abbotsford, i.e., Sheep, pigs, lamb or goat - 1d., Ox or head of meat cattle - 1d., Horse, mare, ass or mule - 2d. Every dog, chaise, coach or other carriage if drawn by one horse - 6d., 2 horses - 1/6, 3 horses 1/6 etc. Drays were charged according to the width of the tyre. The Doncaster Toll Gate was later brought into line with these charges.
You will notice by the Government Gazette of the 1st June, 1873, that a certain portion of the Shire of Lilydale has been enacted into this district and the Templestowe Board desires to bring the following facts to your notice.
It has been found absolutely necessary to form and metal a large portion of the road at the west end of the district leading from Heidelberg towards Kew. There is also a long piece of road to the east of the township which is in need of forming and metalling and, further, that the Board wishes to impress on you the fact that a considerable number of farmers and market gardeners are located on this piece of road who are compelled to use the same at night for the purpose of attending the Melbourne Markets, which is at the risk of life and limb that they do so.
2. By the main toll road between Melbourne and Anderson Creek, the oldest seat of gold diggings in the colony has never yet so far as this Board is concerned received any subsidy from the Government, and at present there is about 5 miles of road in the state of nature, between the end of the metal and the township. Now this being the case, and we as a local body are desirous of doing all we can as far as our means will allow, wish to draw your attention to the same and trust you will be able to assist us in getting over our difficulties. We, as a Board, prefer applying to you in this way, rather than adopting the more common course of waiting on you accompanied by sundry members of the Assembly."
With the annexation of the Warrandyte section, the Net Annual Valuation of the Board rose to £10,300 which, under the act, was sufficient for the District to be proclaimed a Shire, but no steps were taken in this direction until the year 1875 and then it was more to offset a further move by Heidelberg to have the Templestowe Road District made a Riding of their Shire.
After a slight readjustment of boundaries with the Nunawading Shire, the Templestowe Road District was officially proclaimed as the Shire of Bulleen on the 3rd of May, 1875. Statistics for the year show the estimated population of the new shire to be 1540, dwellings numbered 340, ratepayers 325. The total value of rateable property was £156,000 and the Net Annual Valuation £10,460. The net income from rates amounted to £522 at a 1/4 in the £1 and there were 80 miles of roads within the Shire. It is noticeable that, with the annexation of Warrandyte, the value of rateable property rose from £48,000 to over £150,000, but the Net Annual Valuation rose by less than £5,000.
Source: We believe from handwritten notes in records that the following text is an unpublished manuscript in 2 volumes (Ch1-11 and Ch12-21) written by Louis Radnor Cranfield (1927- 14 Oct 1992) F.R.HIST.S. (Fellow of the Royal Historical Society). Find a Grave Record. National Library of Australia Record.
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