When all roads led to Latrobe
Latrobe has an anomalous history. The first house was not erected until 1858 so that the town is about the youngest in the region under review. When it started to grow it made great strides and within two decades was the most important town in the whole of Tasmania’s north - west.
Latrobe gave the north - west its first hospital, its first large scale sports carnival, its first axemen’s carnival, and it was the largest town in the region.
Business men flocked to Latrobe and there arose stately buildings which are the pride of the region in architecture even today.
Latrobe appeared to be destined as the capital of the north - west and Formby and Torquay mere seaside suburbs. All was changed when the railway was extended to Formby in 1885.
Birth of Latrobe
The “La Trobe” reserve was marked off on the map before January 14, 1851, as the reserve is referred to in a Government Gazette of that date regarding the lease of land to the Rev. John Bishton which “bordered on the La Trobe reserve.” In August of the same year 500 acres were leased to Joseph Bonney which land was situated “on the La Trobe reserve.”
The township was named after Charles Joseph La Trobe who, on the recall of Sir Eadley Wilmot in October, 1846, was sent to assume the administration of Van Diemen’s Land pending the arrival of Eardley Wilmot’s successor. When the Port Phillip district was created into a separate colony in 1851 he became the first Governor of Victoria.
The laying out of the town was, however, not begun until May 31, 1856, when Mr J J Gwynne carried out the first survey of allotments. The first land sales were held in Launceston on august 15 when 164 lots were put up for auction. Few lots were sold and the blocks selected were situated on the banks of the estuary outside of the inlet. Andrew Haig of Hobart bought four blocks with an area of a little over three acres for £52/18/0, and a Mr Fitzgerald bought two blocks of just under two acres for £31.
At the next sale, held in June, 1857, many blocks were purchased. They were situated both outside and along the northern shore of the inlet, and also at the foot of Gilbert Street( which became the main street of the town). Outside the inlet Henry Bentinck, George Atkinson (senior), and Nicholas Hedstrom were among the purchasers, and close to where the wharves were built at the head of the inlet Captain Hedstrom, Henry Douglas, George Dease, and Adolphus Rooke of Deloraine purchased allotments. At the foot of Gilbert Street blocks on the south side below Victor Street were bought, and Mr Rooke acquired the whole of the southern town block between Twiss and Victor Streets, a little over two acres for £28.
A third sale was held in December 1857, when John Matthews and George Atkinson purchased one acre each in Gilbert Street stretching from Twiss to Victor Streets on the north side at £8 an acre. George Atkinson also purchased two acres at the corner of Gilbet and Victor streets, on which Lucas’ Hotnel now stands, for £16.
At a sale held in July 1858, Mr Rooke purchased the whole of land stretching from Gilbert Street to Cotton Street, and from Hamilton Street to James Street, an area a fraction over nine and a quarter acres for £31.
Blocks of land in Latrobe sold at much cheaper prices than land in Tarleton.
The first building to be erected in Latrobe was a store near the head of inlet. This is substantiated by the Launceston Examiner of March 30, 1858, which stated thah Captain Hedstrom of Formby was erecting a suitable store at the township of Latrobe for the reception of colonial produce, and it would be completed about April 15, and that he would be prepared to purchase for cash, or store on very moderate terms, or act as agent in shipping either for Melbourne or Launceston, for which ports vessels leave every week.
In the same year Mr A M Turnbull began the erection of a brewery close to the river on the south side of King’s Creek, and in February, 1859, he was granted a brewer’s licence.
Latobe’s First Hotel
Towards the end of 1858 George Atkinson, senior, began the erection of an hotel and he obtained a licence for it the following year. He named it “The Royal Charter Inn.” Whether he had received his licence or not by February 6, 1859, is not known but a few days after that date he was fined for “selling grog” on that day. For a year or two before the erection of this hotel he talked of buying land and building in Latrobe, much against the advice of all his friends in Tarleton, who considered he would be a suitable person for admission to a lunatic asylum should he build there.
James Boney, a son of John Bonney of Deloraine, took up 340 acres of land between the township reserve and the river in the early fifties. Some of this land subsequently became a part of New Town, a suburb of Latrobe. John Hearps’ in the dame decade took up 200 acres to the south of Mr Bonney’s land, and James Fenton purchased 140 acres to the south of Cotton Street. Part of Mr Hearps’ land and the whole of Mr Fenton’s became town lands when New Town came into existence.
The building of a substantial bridge over the Mersey had become a matter of so much importance by 1857 that it was decided to have one erected. Many wanted it to be at Sherwood but George Atkinson and a number of the far seeing inhabitants and persons interested thought the best situation for it would be at the foot of Gilbert Street. After considerable argument George Atkinson and his friends won the day and towards the end of the year the tender of Messrs. Ross, Duncan, and Latham for £730 was accepted. The bridge was completed by winter of 1859, but further money had to be expended on land for a roadway running through the Frogmore estate, which cost £183. This bridge was situated about one hundred yards above where the present bridge is. The main highway from Deloraine to the coast, instead of passing the river at Sherwood, was extended along Hamilton Street to Gilbert Street, and do was made to pass through Latrbobe.
Latrobe from 1860
In 1860 Edward Allen was postmaster. He was followed by Joseph King, George Atkinson, senior, John Matthews, James Claridge, W S Sutton, and H W Laws during the sixties, and Samuel Ready in 1872, followed by Miss Sarah Hogg in 1876. The telegraph line was completed to Latrobe in 1875.
The post office had been at the business premises of all the above-mentioned people, but at the end of the seventies it was decided to give the post and telegraph office a permanent home, and in 1879 the erection of a government building was begun. When it was completed in 1882 Miss A A Hogg, the postmistress, moved into her section of it. She was replaced in 1890 by Mr Benjafield, a classified official of the department.
At the beginning of 1861 George Atkinson, senior, changed the name of his hotel room from the “Royal Charter Inn” to the Latrobe Inn. His son George took it over in 1864 and he appears to have managed it very well as in March 1867, the following appeared in the Launceston Examiner:
“Latrobe is a thriving, bustling little place, and for the benefit of travellers we may say that clean and comfortable accommodation can be obtained at Atkinson’s Inn at moderate charges. In former times when huts were the only houses there used to be a fair stand stand-up fight with the fleas, and the latter were frequently victorious, and always annoying. Unless a person were thoroughly exhausted and rendered insensible by fatigue to the operation of phlebotomy sleep was next to impossible. But at Atkinson’s there are no such tormentors.”
In January, 1868, George was charged “for not having a sufficient light constantly burning from sunset to sunrise outside the door of his licensed house” and fined 10/- plus 9/6 costs. Some other publicans were pounced upon by the police at the same time for this offence.
Mr Atkinson leased his hotel in March, 1876 to Mr Barrett of Table Cape but on June 4 of that year it was destroyed by fire. With very little delay it was replaced by a new stone building. This hotel was taken over by William Lucas in 1886, and six years later he purchased it from George Atkinson for £3,400. Its name was eventually changed to “Lucas Hotel.”
The “Railway Hotel” was opened in 1866 by James Claridge who put Samuel Davis into it as its first landlord. The building has been erected three years previously for John Matthews as a store and residence. Fred Young took it over in 1873 and it remained in the Young family for very many years. It was burnt down in September 1912, and was not rebuilt.
The “Blue Bells of Scotland Hotel” was built by Robert Earl in 1870 on the north side of Gilbert Street west of and bordering King’s Creek. It was renamed the “Club Hotel” in 1875. Fire destroyed it on December 29, 1894.
The “Retreat Hotel” was built in 1870 on the north side of upper Gilbert Street a little above Hamilton Street, for Elijah Hedditch. Joseph Bramich became landlord in 1874. It was destroyed by fire in 1888 but was immediately rebuilt.
The “Shamrock Hotel” was opened early 1880 and James O’Meara became its first landlord. It was situated on the north side of Gilbert Street a little to the east of the present bridge. Its name was changed to the “Family Hotel” a few years later. One of its landlords, Wiliam Benhamo, who died in 1890, was well-known throughout the colonies having travelled through them as part proprietor of a circus; whilst as a clown acrobat and circus rider he was a star in his day, having had good engagements with some of the best companies. He travelled with them through France, Spain, England and other countries. Frederick Maddox had this hotel for a few years in the nineties. Its license was withdrawn many years ago.
The “Royal Hotel” was built by Joseph Bramich at the end of 1880. When Mr Bramich at the end of 1880. When Mr Bramich died in 1885 his son James took it over.
At the beginning of 1860 Edward Allen had the brewery but towards the end of the sixties it was closed. In 1871 Mr Kelcey of Spreyton addressed a meeting regarding the growing of barley and malt-making and referred to the numerous complaints that had been made about the “rotten” beer that was being sold. This led to the brewery being opened again by Mr Allen in January, 1874, but two years later he handed it over to Alfred Biggins. The rudges worked it from 1877 until it was closed down at the end of 1880. The building was destroyed by fire in May, 1893.
First Working of Shale Deposits
Prelimanary steps were taken early in 1861 for the formation of a company to work the dysolite deposits on the Mersey for the production of napthaline and paraffin oil, and 790 shares were taken up. How long this early company lasted is not recorded, but from time to time it was followed by other companies and each time the inhabitants of Latrobe expected something wonderful to happen for the benefit of their town. Various attempts to work this shale have always ended in disappointment.
Towards the end of 1861 a watch-house was erected by James Rawnsley close to the bridge at a cost of £205. This old police station was burnt down in November, 1891, but no regret was expressed for its loss except by a sundowner who said it once was a home for him for three months.
The building of new police quarters were begun in 1879, and new police offices, etc, were opened in 1882 when the new government buildings were completed.
James Claridge was district constable in 1863 and was assisted by a petty constable. He was replaced in 1867 David McQuestin.
Henry Douglas was appointed police magistrate in March, 1880, in place of Mr H T A Murray and he took up his residence at Latrobe instead of at Formby. When he died in 1887 George Anthony Kemp took his place but Mr Kemp also died in September of the following year. The latter was born at York Town in 1806. Patrick Churcher Maxwell was then selected to fill this appointment and he came from Ulverstone to Latrobe in 1889.
Henry L Thomas, a son of Mr B W Thomas of “Appledore,” near Formby, was appointed police clerk at Latrobe in 1884. He changed places in 1893 with Mr Rule of St Helens.
Early Churches
The Rev. Father James Joseph Noone came to Latrobe in 1862 and the following year he had a small church erected. He also used this building as a school. A new church was built in 1873 and dedicated to Saint Patrick. A presbytery was erected by William Gadsby in 1880 at a cost of £570.
About the beginning of the eighties Father Noone obtained from Sydney a church bell which had belonged to the chimes of Saint Mary’s Cathedral, and it became the first church bell in Latrobe. In 1892 a Cottage Convent was built and when some Sisters of Mercy arrived they took over the school, a new school building built in 1893.
Father Noone died in Hobart in November, 1901, and his remains were brought to Latrobe and interred in front of the church there. He should be classed with the pioneers of the north-west coast as he came there when the country was in its rough state and he had to put up with considerable hardships in keeping in touch with the various parts of his district which extended form Green’s Creek to the river Blthye
A small Church of England was opened on May 6, 1868, and dedicated to Saint Luke. It was erected on land given by James Bonney and cost £145 to build. Before this church existed the Rev Mr Martin of Torquay used occasionally to hold services in Mr Nathan’s store, and at these services Mr Ready played the organ. Saint Luke’s Church was enlarged in 1884 to twice its former size and a school-room was also built that year.
The Rev William Hogg replaced Mr Batchelor towards the end of 1883 and he became on eof the best known and popular clergymen on the coast. He took a great interest in local public affairs. When bicycles became popular he wanted one but as he could not learn to ride one he had a special tricycle made, and he became a well-known figure riding about on this uncommon machine. He died at Latrobe in 1913.
A Wesleyan Methodist Church was opened on October 24, 1869, the first service being conducted by Colonel Shaw at Dean’s point. The superintendent of the circuit at that time was Rev Andrew Inglis. This church was a building which had been constructed at Sherwood in the fifties. It was removed to Latrobe, set upon new foundations, and renovated. Soon after it was opened it was found to be too small in which to hold the Sunday School anniversary services and these were held in Mr Bartlett’s large iron store. The parsonage, which stood close to the church, was completed in January, 1872.
The foundation stone of a new brick church was laid by Colonel Shaw on July 9, 1879. Mr Gadsby was the architect and Michael Wood of Formby the clerk of works, and it cost a little over £800 without the seats. The old wooden church was moved to the north –east of its old site so that it could be used as a Sunday school, and the new building was erected where the old one stood.
A Congregational Church was opened in April, 1877, towards the west end of George Street, and the following year a cottage, situated in Victor Street, was purchased from Mr Oppenheim for use as a residence for the Rev John Bennett who was on his way from America to take over the church. Before this gentleman arrived the house was destroyed by fire, but towards the end of 1878 the erection of a new brick building was begun on the site of the old one. It was completed the following year and cost £409.
The present church was erected in 1899 by Mr Levy of Devonport at a cost of £544.
The Baptists had become an important body by the middle of the eighties and baptismal ceremonies took place on two or three occasions in the river. Occasional services were held in Oddfellows Hall, but in 1889 they purchased a block of land and soon after the erection of a church was begun by Mr Gadsby. The memorial stone was laid in October, 1891, by Mr J T Soundy, the treasurer of the Baptist Union of Tasmania, assisted by Pastor Chamberlain, and on January 3, 1892, the Tabernacle was opened. The building was the magnificent gift of Mr Gibson of “Scone.”
The Salvation Army opened a barracks at Latrobe in December, in 1883, but they made their first “sortie” under Captain and Mrs Collins two months previously. They occupied a hall in lower Gilbert Street next to Mr Nathan’s store when they first started operations, and later moved to a hall situated just above the railway line, north of Gilbert Street but a short distance back from the street.
At the beginning of 1873 a new bridge was so badly needed that Mr Dooley was engaged in March to survey a site a hundred yards or so below the old bridge. But on May 12 during a flood the bridge broke up and went sailing down the Mersey like a punt. A contract was made with Mr Andrews to construct a new bridge and it was completed in 1878.
First Latrobe Schools
About the middle of 1870 a public school was opened in a temporary building and Thomas Hainsworth, assisted by his wife, became its master. He had just previously given up the school at Table Cape and come to Latrobe to live. By August nearly forty children were on the roll.
In 1872 George Atkinson gave half an acre of land for a public school and a master’s residence, and the construction of the school was begun in that year, the inhabitants of Latrobe contributing one third of the cost of it. Mr Bellion contracted to build it for £212.
Mr Hainsworth was given a black eye in May, 1878, by the father of a pupil who told a lie about being thrashed by his teacher. It turned out that the boy received his injuries when he was playing rounders.
John Lowe became master in 1882 and he remained at Latrobe very many years.
The Misses Boyd opened a private school in 1868, and in 1875 Mrs Hogg had a school in Victor Street beyond the hotel. She later moved it to a place behind where the E S and A Bank now is.
The Rev John Bennet opened a school in 1879 which he called the Latrobe Academy, and late in 1880 he started building a school-room adjoining his residence in Victor Street.
John Francis Corp had a private school at Latrobe in the middle of the eighties which he called the Latrobe Commercial College. Some of his pupils were George Taylor, Carl Rossmann, Charles and Norman Bauld, Edgar Rockcliff, Albert Roche, Albert Simmons, Arthur Steer, Bertie and Frank Boatwright, Lionel and Hedley Ready, Robert Mitchell, Jack McIlwaine, and Wilbraham Smthye.
Towards the end of 1889 John B Palmer, B A, opened a High School and in 1891 a Technical School was started.
A Latrobe youth named Leonard Neil Morrison mad the towns-people feel proud when, in 1892, he won a scholarship which entitled him to four years free tuition at the Launceston Grammar School, and to a sum of £20 a year as board allowance, and again in 1904 when he was selected as Tasmania’s first Rhodes Scholar and was sent to Oxford for three years.
The Loyal Latrobe Lodge of Oddfellows was granted its charter by the Manchester Unity in 1869, and in the same year the Perseverance Tent of the Rechabites, S U, was also established.
An Oddfellows Hall was built in 1882 and extensions were made to it in 1888. The building was later used as a cinema.
The East Mersey Buffalo Lodge was opened in 1884, and the following year the Mistletoe Lodge, United Order of Druids, was formed.
Freemasonry
A Freemasons Lodge under the Scottish Constitution was formed in September, 1882, and was named “Lodge Concord.” Its first Worshipful Master was John Steer. The first meeting was held on December 19, 1882, in a room of the Latrobe Hotel, and subsequent meetings were held there till extensions were made to the Oddfellows Hall. When the Grand Lodge of Tasmania was formed in 1890 this lodge was transferred to the Tasmanian Constitution. A Masonic Hall was built in Hamilton Street in 1892 and opened in September.
The first recorded entertainment was held in October 2, 1868. It took place in an unlicensed room and its promoters were subsequently fined 1/- each.
Formation of a Latrobe Band
The Latrobe band was started about 1870 when Mr McNee, who had seen service in a military band in India, came to Latrobe. The instruments were obtained by Samuel Ready through and old Launceston firm. The original band consisted of twelve performers. An old photograph taken in the early seventies shows: Messrs G Rudge, A Fletcher, J T Bramich, J Mitchell, James French, R Mitchell, H Piper, R P Crompton (bandmaster), Butt, M Cullen, J Heron, and Jackson. The band however does not seem to have been properly started till 1875 as in April of that year a bazaar was held in connection with the band fund, and a newspaper report of August stated that the band had “been in existence only a few months.” The report went on to say that “in addition to the Latrobe Brass Band Mr Crompton has in hand the Latrobe Drum and Fife Band and the Don Drum and Fife Band.”
The uniforms were obtained in November, 1876, from Messrs Farrelly and Stweart of Launceston. The cloth was a fine rifle-green broadcloth with white edging on the seams, and trimmed with silver lace, the leader, Mr Crompton, wearing silver epaulettes. The caps were French military with silver laceband, with the letters L B in silver letters in front. The cost amounted to about £70.
In August, 1877, there was a new bandmaster. His name was Fritz Wachterhauser, and he appears to have been the leader for about ten years. He was replaced in November, 1887, by Charles Trussel who was bandmaster until 1895. Henry Havenhand took over the band when Mr Tussel left. In 1890 Mr Trussel was instrumental in having the title of the band renamed “The Federal Band.”
In 1876 there was a Latrobe Amateur Dramatic Club and entertainments were given in Mr Nathan’s store, the first part of the programme being performed in true minstrel style. A Band of Hope was started in 1883; the Latrobe Mohawk Minstrels began performing in 1887; two years later the Latrobe Musical Union and the Latrobe Magties were formed; and in 1891 a Dramatic and Musical Society came into existence.
The Circus began visiting the town fairly early and it held performances on land below the railway station close to Gilbert Street till buildings were erected there; then such entertainments were held in Dooley’s paddock at the corner of Gilbert and Hamilton Streets, or in Mr Atkinson’s showground.
Mr Nathan’s store was used for entertainments on occasions in the early days, and in the early seventies Edward Allen’s auction mart was known as the “Town Hall” on account of it being frequently used for public gatherings. Fred Young of the Railway Hotel built a hall in 1878 alongside of his hotel and he named it the “Victoria Hall.” The Oddfellows Hall was built in 1882, and in 1887 Mr Mence built a small hall in James Street a little to the south of Cotton Street.
In April, 1877, the government granted 160 acres of land to be used as a recreation ground and a race-course. It was not long before the townspeople began to make use of the new sports ground, but races continued to be held at Sherwood until the beginning of the nineties when the new course near Earl Town was opened in 1893.
English Cricket Team Visits Latrobe
An English cricket team visited Latrobe in January, 1888, and twenty-two men from various parts of the coast were selected to play against the visitors. These were: H E Brock, and J Beaumont (Don), T Lyons and W Phillips (Circular Head), E Stutterd (Wynyard), A H Edgar (Burnie), C Chapman and C Leonard (Waratah), W McDonald (Leven), F G Henderson (Formby), W Rogers and W Morris (Northdown), H Rockliff (Sassafras), G Morse and T Johnson (Sheffield), C Earl, G Townshend , and C Roberts (Railway), and L Atkinson, R Clarke, H Inglis, and Mence (Latrobe), with C Roberts as captain.
The match was played during the 16th and 17th, and between 800 and 1,000 people attended to see the game. Henry Murray, senior, was umpire for the home team, and J Phillips for the English team.
The coast made a very poor stand against the bowling of the Englishmen, Atkinson being the only ones to make double figures. The fielding of the Englishmen was one of the most noticeable features of the day, the fieldsmen allowing few chances to escape them. Their bowling, too, was equally good, the ball in most instances being sent to off-leg, and the fieldsmen so placed as to catch the ball on the slightest chance. The results of the first innings of the coast team was a total score of 66. Atkinson made 14, Roberts 8, Morse and McDonald 5 each, Sttuterd and Beaumont 4 each, Edgar 3, Inglis and Chapman 2 each, Clarke, Earl and Leonard 1 each, and the others did not score. Byes were 13 and leg-byes 3.
The English team began their innings the first afternoon and finished the next day with a total of 271 runs. They did not play a second innings.
The coast team did better their second inning s making a score of 97. Clarke made 23, Edgar and Atkinson 16 each, Johnson 9, Morse and Inglis 7 each, Beaumont 5, Rogers and Lyons 3 each, Chapman 2, Brock, McDonald, Stutterd, and Earl 1 each, the remainder not scoring.
The Englishmen were entertained at a banquet held in the Masonic Lodge Room on the evening of the 17th.
An outstanding club, with its headquarters at Latrobe was the North Western Hunt Club which was formed in 1887, with Marcus Walpole Loane as President, H J Wilson, H J Chamberlen, and Major Dumbleton as Vice Presidents; J Sykes, Master of Hounds; George Bennett of Red Gate, Huntsman; and John Addison and J Twibell as Whips. In June of that year the whole of the Hon Thomas Reibey’s pack of valuable hounds was presented to Mr Sykes.
The Latrobe Homing Society and the Latrobe Cycling Club were formed in 1890, and in 1896 the Latrobe Bicycle Race Club was promoted by Jabez White and Morey Philips.
When Latrobe got its Show
Latrobe Show, which is still attracting crowds each Spring, was organized in 1874 and the first exhibition was held in George Aitken’s sale-yards on October 28 of that year. It was not until some thirty years later that the present grounds were secured.
At the first show over one thousand attended which was a large crowd for the period some coming great distances. The condition of the road was so bad that Mr Motton, who drove his three-horse brake from Deloraine with the band, had to be provided with spades and axes, all hands having at intervals to act as sappers and miners before the vehicle could proceed.
Judges were : J Bramich, W Bonnily (junior), J Weller, H Rockcliff, E Hall, T Hogarth, W T Bell, J Griffin, R Hall, J Phillips, R Beveridge, James Bonney, Stephen Kelcey, and J McFarlane.
The President was Marcus Walpole Loane; Vice Presidents were Samuel Thomas and H T A Murray. Henry Rockliff was Treasurer, and R Farilam was Secretary.
For many years afterwards the Latrobe Agricultural Show was one of the big events of the year along the north west coast. Farmers and other vistors came to it from far and near. They came in traps, buggies, drays, bullock wagons, on horseback, and even “per-boot.” Steamers came from Launceston and from along the coast, and sailed right up to Bell’s wharf or up the Inlet to the wharves there.
In April, 1877, the first Autumn Show of the North western Agricultural Association was held in the Town Hall.
The Inaugural show of the Latrobe Horticultural, Industrial, Poultry, and Dog Society, was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall on April 29, 1891.
The First Axemen’s Carnival
The United Australian Axemen’s Association was formed at Latrobe in 1891. At a meeting held at Whitaker’s Coffee Palace on June 13 a committee was formed which was composed of R McCrory, Thomas Reeves, and Alexander Moore of Barrington, W J Andrews of Sprent, A McPherson of Castra, A Stevens of Upper Castra, J Barrett and F Chisholm of North Motton, W J White, J T Bramich, and J Maddox of Latrobe, A Smith of Sheffield, F Diprose, T C Diprose, and A Dennison of Kindred, W Hodgetts of Burnie, George Turner of Forth, Christopher Kruska and Sam Diprose of Ringarooma, and R Lethborg of Scottsdale. H A Nichols was chosen as Secretary and William Whitaker as Treasurer.
The first carnival was held on December 2nd and was well attended by between 3,000 and 4,000 spectators. Blocks were produced from Barrington where the most enthusiastic suppoters of this first carnival lived. Chopping events had often taken place in the past but they were all very small compared with this newly installed exhibition of axemenship.
Thomas Reibey , M H A, became President of the association, and he presented the “Reibey Trophy” for the champion match. A sum of £75 was added to it.
Twenty-six axemen including representatives from Victoria and New Zealand, notified their willingness to compete, but the whole of these did not take part in the carnival.
The Vice-Regal party including the Governor, and Lord and Lady Hopetoun of Victoria, arrived at Latrobe a few minutes before noon. Bouquets were presented by a little daughter of Mrs Maxwell read an address of welcome. They were then driven to the Show Ground and at the entrance they passed under an “Arch of Welcome to the Governors of Tasmania and Victoria.” After witnessing some chopping and inspecting chopping blocks, axes, etc, the visitors were entertained to lunch by the reception committee and leading residents in a commodious marquee which had been erected at the back of the grand-stand. After lunch the visitors returned to the ground where another half hour’s chopping was witnessed, and then they were again entertained and returned to Launceston.
Messrs John Sykes, Henry Murray, and John Henry were the judges, and John Sykes was the starter.
The Champion Match was competed for in five heats, for which there were seventeen competitors. The winning two of each heat took part in the final chop, and the ten competitors were ranged in a single line. Tom Reeves won, becoming the “Champion Axeman of the Colonies,” his time being 6 minutes 22.5 seconds. D Vince was second and he received a prize of £25 and a trophy, and G Turner was third, winning £12/10/0 and a trophy.
The Double-handed Sawing Match was won by R Chatwin and F Grainger of Kindred. The Handicap Chopping Match was won by J Lethborg of Barrington. The Champion Sawing Match was won by R Chatwin of Kindred. Champion Paling Splitting Match was awarded to J H Williams of Kindred, because of the quality of work done. The underhand Chopping match was won by T Fazackerley of Taranna. The Whip-cracking Contest was won by Lachlan M’Innes of Nook.
The introduction of this carnival created great enthusiasm throughout northern Tasmania as there was so much bush land and the sons of the first pioneers had, for a good number of years, been getting an enormous amount of practice in tree-felling, land clearing, and fencing, and many had become great experts in the use of the axe, saw, and splitting tools.
For a number of years each carnival created greater enthusiasm than the previous one and many axemen and others became quite famous men in the island. Carnivals were held at Latrobe during the first five years until “Chopper” Nichols went to Ulverstone to live when he was influential enough to have the carnival held there in 1896. Latrobe got it back for a while, and it was also held in Devonport.
The gradual disappearance of the forests of northern Devon from good agricultural land meant less practice with the axe and saw, and this may have spelt the death-knell of the axemen’s carnival as the event became a thing of the past not longer after the turn of the century.
Before 1870 there was a :Latrobe Improvement Association, a Mr Isaacs being president.
There was a Fire Brigade in the seventies and eighties, and in 1890 a fire brigade building and fire-bell tower were erected just below the Post and Telegraph office. The building and tower cost £750. When the work was completed the old bell, which had been situated at the back of the Oddfelllows’ Hall, was removed to the new tower. George Bain was captain of the brigade in the early nineties.
In the middle of the eighties, Latrobe had a Chamber of Commerce. Its members were Alfred Boatwright, Samuel Sternberg, George Atkinson, C T Brewer, R Hinton, Edmund Bartlett, Henry Murray, R Bauld, G Rudge, and G D Inglis.
There was a library in the seventies. In 1888 the trustees purchased a building on the north side of Gilbert Street immediately below the railway crossing for £125.
A Rifle Corps is reported to have been formed at Latrobe in 1885 and at two other places along the coast. In 1889 Rifle Companies were formed, the East Devon Rifle Company having its headquarters at Latrobe, with detachments at Northdown and Sheffield.
The Marine Board spent a certain amount of money during the seventies in clearing, deepening and widening the inlet. They built a wharf at the head of the inlet early in the decade, and another was built at the ballast ground west of Bell’s wharf in 1879. Some private wharves existed in the upper part of the inlet during the eighties, and wharves were extended and the inlet widened.
In 1877 the North West Coast Steam Navigation Company was formed at Latrobe and Messrs Atkinson, Gerrand, Goldsmith, Nathan and Oppenheim were appointed directors. In 1878 this company purchased the small steamer “Amy” and John Reid became master of her.
When Latrobe was in the News
William Whitaker took over Edward Allen’s old mart, known also as the Town Hall, in 1877, had alterations made to it, and commenced business as a printer, and on December 8 of that year he began the publication of the first north-west coats newspaper, the “Devon Herald.” Mr Whitaker transferred his press in October, 1994, to a place at the back of the Coffee Palace which the Whitakers had taken over. This newspaper appeared every Wednesday and Saturday at 4d. a copy, but it suffered so much from faulty subscribers and delinquent supporters that it was eventually forced to close down and made its last appearance on March 29, 1889.
A second newspaper named the “North-West Chronicle” appeared in Latrobe on July 4, 1887, its editor being Mr T C Just, but it had a very short life making its last issue on May 25, 1888.
As there were plenty of people in Latrobe who thought that a newspaper could be run successfully Mr W G Targett decided to begin publication of one, and so in may, 1890, the “North Coast Standard” made its appearance. It was taken over by Mr James Melross in March, 1891, and some time later William Whitaker joined him. When Mr Melross dropped out the newspaper was run by Messrs William Whitaker and Son. But the Whitakers failed to make a success of a Latrobe newspaper, and the “North Coast Standard” made its last issue on August 10, 1894. The Whitaker family then went to Launceston and not long after they took over the “Daily Telegraph” in that city.
At the end of 1872 there was a public cemetery reserve, and when it was bought into use it was divided into three sections, viz, a Church of England, a Roman Catholic, and a general section. Before this burial ground was opened the old Frogmore cemetery and other places were used, some of the old Latrobe pioneers being interred at Torquay.
A new road from Elizabeth Town to Latrobe was begun at the beginning of the seventies but it does not appear to have been completed before April, 1879. Two of the men employed in building it were James Naylor and George Laycock, old pioneers. At the end of 1879 Mr Hewitt was able to put a new brake on this road between Deloraine and Latrobe. A section of road between Latrobe and Torquay was completed in that year.
In 1868 the population of Latrobe was only 71 but it increased considerably during the next decade. In 1891 the number was 1,560 and it stood around that figure for several years before it began to decline.
The first taxi-cab was introduced by Mr W Wilson in May, 1882, and the first float made its appearance in August of the following year being owned by Matthew McQuestin.
Latrobe Hospital and Queen’s Jubilee, 1887
During the first part of the eighties the Rev Claude Roberts began voicing his great concern about the absence of any hospital in the district, and as so many of the leading people of Latrobe, the nearby townships, and the country were prepared to support him a meeting was arranged which was held in the Victoria Hall, Latrobe, on April 9, 1885. At this meeting a committee was formed and they immediately set about taking steps to gather together sufficient funds for the erection of a hospital. When enough money had been collected an application was made to the government for a site next to the Latrobe recreation ground, and this was readily agreed to Mr E Gadsby was selected to be architect and builder, and he submitted plans of a building which he estimated would cost £500. It was to be of wood with a frontage of 63 feet, and it was to contain four rooms for beds, besides committee, operating, and nurses’ rooms, and it was also to have detached outbuildings comprising kitchen, scullery and servants ‘ bedroom. The front of the building was to be of an ornamental nature, the two large wards to have bay-windows 11’ x 4’ 6” with a connecting verandah between them.
By the time everything was all ready for start to be made on the building it was well into the year 1887, so it was decided that no more fitting day could be selected for the laying of the Foundation Stone than Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Day, and the ceremony could be linked up with all the other celebrations.
The Queens Jubilee celebrations were to be held on June 21 but they had to be postponed till the following day on account of very heavy rain. But on the morning of the 21st the Vulcan Carriage Works, Gilbert Street, despite the rain, carried out some celebrations which they had previously decided upon. They had ranged six anvils in front of the smithy, and early in the morning they “fired a Royal Salute of twenty-one rounds” and the report of these novel weapons were sufficiently loud to be heard all round the town, next door neighbours starting up with a scare on their faces that was quite worthy of the arrival of a Russian ironclad.
On the 22nd the principal event of the day was the laying of the Foundation Stone of the new hospital. It was to be called “The Queen’s Own Jubilee Hospital” but this title was dropped and the one previously agreed to adopted viz, “The Devon Cottage Hospital.” The ceremony was preceded by a procession which started from the Victoria Hall and was marshalled by Sub-Inspector Collett. It consisted of Friendly Societies, the Freemasons, Cadet Corps, Band of Hope, Sunday School children, etc, headed by the Latrobe Band under Herr Wachtershauser. After arrival on the grounds a united choir sang an opening hymn, and then the ceremony of laying the stone was carried out with Masonic honours. Records were placed in a cavity of the stone.
In the afternoon refreshments were provided for the children in Victoria Hall. In the evening the township was illuminated with Chinese lanterns, and fireworks were displayed on the hill.
Mr George Simmons presented and planted in the Post Office Reserve and Recreation Ground a number of very acceptable ornamental trees, including oaks and laurels, for the occasion.
The erection of the hospital completed in January, 1889, and the opening ceremony took place on the 26th of that month. It had accommodation for eight patients. The Rev Mr Roberts took overt the management and he held that position until he died in 1895. Mr G D Inglis acted as Honorary Secretary, and Doctor J W Payne became medical officer, giving his services free. Miss M G Schweichler became matron at a salary of 15/- a week. The total salaries paid in the first year amounted to the insignificant sum of £44. This little building did service until the beginning of 1902 when a new building was erected along the Moriarty road.
On the evening of December 18, 1890, Professor Pride, an American aeronaut, made a balloon ascent from Mr Atkinson’s show-ground in the presence of between 200 and 300 spectators. A strong breeze prevented the balloon being inflated earlier in the afternoon. After ascending about 2,500 feet the aerial voyager loosed his parachute attached to which was a simple trapeze bar on which he sat. The parachute immediately opened and gracefully dropped him, at the rate of about 800 feet a minute, about 400 yards from the spot where he ascended.
The balloon steered over eastward and, as if uneasy at the loss of its passenger, turned completely over. One huge convulsion and it had emptied itself and shot, a shapeless bag into one of the paddocks of New Town.
Early Town Lighting and Water Supply
About the middle of the eighties there was such a desire for town lighting that it was eventually decided to form a company to undertake the supply of gas in the town, and at the beginning of 1887 the prospectus of the Latrobe Gas Company Ltd, was published. Its capital was £6,000 in 6,000 shares of £1 each. It was not long after that the laying of pipes was put in hand and buildings connected up with lighting. In April, 1888, a banquet was held in the Masonic Lodge room to celebrate the lighting of the town on the 14th, and a special train came from Formby with visitors to witness the new lighting.
The Rev William Hogg instigated the first town water supply in 1890, and a Bill was passed by Parliament the same year. It was proposed that Devonport should take her water supply from the same source, but the estimates covering the supply to both towns showed that it would have been too costly for the latter town. Latrobe therefore had to confine the plan to her own town. Mr J G Starr, an engineer from Victoria, prepared an estimate which amounted to £6,046, and in 1892 the raising of a loan of £10,000 was agreed to by an election which was held in February. The scheme was immediately proceeded with and the water works were officially opened on March 2, 1893.
John Brown’s Water Cart
Before this water supply was installed there were periods when tanks became very low and a real shortage of water occurred. Such a shortage one year induced a man named John Brown to institute a system of supplying water to people who wanted it. He built a vehicle which consisted of an axle, two wheels, and a pair of shafts, and onto this he set a large barrel with a flexible tube fitted to the lower part of the back of it. At the bottom of Gilbert Street he pumped water up from the river into his barrel and he delivered it at from 1/- to 2/6 a barrel. The vehicle needed only one horse to pull it and on dry occasions John made quite a good income.
A severe flood which was caused by heavy flood waters coming down by King’s Creek not being able to get away occurred at Latrobe on May 27, 1893. The water flooded Gilbert Street from a little to the east of the railway crossing, and all the shops from the railway to the bridge.
Town Characters
Latrobe’s famous character, John Bartlett, known as “The Flying Tailor,” an old Crimean veteran, has been described by Mr J Crowe of Burnie, and the following extract of what Mr Crowe has written is given below:
“My first memory of “The Flying Tailor” goes back to Queen Victoria’s Jubillee in 1887, and for many years after I saw a great deal of him. If ever there was a man of emotional and varied temperament it was he. I have seen the tears running down his eyes at a funeral, and on his way home from it I have seen him, like a lion rampant, bringing down his stick across someone’s shoulder in argument and, if the latter ran away John would throw the old stick unerringly; it would whiz through the air, end over end, and in most cases land on the pursued. Yes, Captain John Silver, Robert Louis Stevenson’s character in “Treausre Island” had nothing over “The Flying Taylor.” Anyhow there never was and probably never will be another such character in the old town of Latrobe. None, whether, clergyman, policeman, or anyone else escaped his vitriol-like tongue at some time or other.”
The poor old man had become so frail by the middle of 1906 that he had to be sent to the Invalid Depot in Launceston where he died on August 31 very soon after his arrival there.
Frank Ryder, the old-bill poster and town crier, died in June, 1893, at the age of 68. He had been in Latrobe over thirty years and was one of the characters of the town. He was frequently to be heard ringing his bell crying “tonight, tonight, at the Oddfellows’ Hall, etc.” informing listeners of a concert or some other entertainment which was about to be held.
The main events in connection with the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in 1897 were the presentation of medals to school children, with a good supply of buns, at the recreation grounds in the afternoon, and a large bonfire in the evening accompanied by the firing of a “feu de joie” by the local volunteers.
In 1871 Mr H B Hinton, a retired surgeon of the Indian Army, practised medicine in town, and he was also a tenant on Tasman Parker’s land near Torquay. He appears to have lived in the district a goon number of years Doctor E J Lock was practising in the early seventies and in 1878 Doctor Smthye came Latrobe. Doctor Parker took up his residence in the early eighties, but Doctor John Payne took over his practise in 1886. Doctor Cookson was there in 1888, and two years later Doctor Stewart arrived.
Latrobe’s First Business Men
Robert Bell and Henry Bentinck had their store at the mouth of the estuary at the beginning of the sixties, and about that tome Mr Bell built his home nearby and planted an orchard there. Bell’s Parade subsequently got its name when the area became a picnicking ground.
George Atkinson, senior besides owning an hotel, built the first general store. But his son George appears to have stepped back into his shoes later in the sixties and allowed his father to sit back.
Mr Atkinson was followed by John Matthews who was an early arrival in Tarleton. The latter built a store and residence in the early sixties. Close on his heels were Maurice Nathan, William Fletcher, Samuel Ready, Mathias and Henry Bloch, and James Shirt. The Blochs built a store west of Atkinson’s Hotel at the corner of Victor Street. Below Bloch’s, Samuel Ready erected a shop and residence about 1866. Nathan’s store arose almost opposite Bloch’s. E F Dease was an auctioneer in 1868, and in 1869 Edward Allen built an auction mart some distance below Ready’s. William Heron, who was a smithy at Sherwood, soon after opened a blacksmith’s shop in central Gilbert Street. W S Sutton was there in the late sixties and became the owner of the Railway Hotel and some shops. Captain Hedstrom built some of the first cottages, Stephen Kelcey a flour mill, H W Laws opened a chemist shop, William Banfield a bakery, and other business men were Robert Bauld, Henry Phillips, and William Mitchell. Benjamin Oppenheim took over Bloch’s business at the end of the sixties. Henry Rockliff built a store near the inlet and acquired Pig Island, and Messrs Tacey and Stratton were confectioners a held a “ginger beer licence.”
Progress during the Seventies
Three banking businesses came to Latrobe in the seventies. At the machine of 1876 the Union Bank, under the management of Mr H H Downward, opened a branch, and in July they began building bank premises opposite Atkinson’s Hotel.
In the same year the Bank of Australasia opened a branch next to Henry Phillip’s store, and in early 1879 they began the erection of permanent premises at the corner of Gilbert and Victor Streets opposite the Union Bank. The foundation stone was laid by Mrs Urquhart, the wife of the manager, and specimens of current British coins were placed beneath the stone.
The Commercial Bank of Tasmania opened a branch in 1876 in Mr Nathan’s store, Mr Allanby becoming manager. Permanent premises were erected at the end of 1885 and completed the following year. The E S & A Bank swallowed up this bank many years later.
James Morgan Dooley came to Latrobe from Forth at the beginning of the seventies and built a large residence in Gilbert Street a little below Hamilton Street. He became one of the town’s leading citizens and also a large property holder. Dooley’s Hill was named after him, perhaps because he owned a good portion of it. He was elected in 1872 to the House of Assembly as member for East Devon.
In 1873 Mr Oppenheim sold his store to Nicholas Gerrand, and in 1877 had a new building erected next to Atkinson’s Hotel. He sold this second store a year later and, in 1879 began the construction of a new brick building farther up the street. In the same year the first genuine Latrobe suburban residence was built for him some distance along the old Deloraine road (Hamilton Street) on five acres of land between the street and tramway. Shortly after he became a farmer about three miles east of Latrobe, and had a new house built there in 1881. He named his farm “Forest Hill.” His new store in central Gilbert Street he gave up in 1880 to Mr Sternberg.
Maurice Nathan came to Latrobe from Port Sorrel in 1863. After the Commercial Bank of Tasmania took over his building in 1876 he went into business with Henry Murray, who came to Latrobe in 1877, and they conducted a shipping business under the title of Nathan, Murray and Company. In 1878 Mr Nathan had a new residence built at the corner of Hamilton and Cotton Streets, west of the Church of England. In 1886 a liquor store was built for him opposite Mr Dooley’s residence. This old pioneer passed away in 1893.
Boom in Building
George Atkinson opened his sale yards to the west of the railway station and at the back of Gilbert Street in 1873. In 1876 he erected a brick building in central Gilbert Street on the corner of the street leading to his sale yards, and when it was completed he became an auctioneer and opened a mart there. He mad a trip to England in 1878, Mr Lobley conducting the mart and sale yards during his absence. The following year after his return he constructed a second building alongside King’s Creek, but this building was destroyed by fire in 1883. He built a new store on the site in 1889 which became his new auction mart, and he let Mr Wright, a chemist, move into his first building erected in 1887 alongside his first mart and when it was completed Sidebottom and Company moved into it, Mr Heatley subsequently taking it over.
In 1873 James Shirt built a shop on the north side of Gilbert Street a good distance above Victor Street, and it was probably the first store erected in central Gilbert Street. This building is still standing.
Mathias and Henry Bloch, in 1870, were conducting a tannery, but they moved to Deloraine soon after.
George Wakehan was a blacksmith at the beginning of the seventies, and in 1878 he had a large and imposing shop erected to the east of the Retreat Hotel.
Nicholas Gerrand came to Latrobe in 1873 and became one of Latrobe’s foremost citizens, but in 1880 he sold his store to Mr Boatwright and took up farming at “Waughhambeham,” Lower Barrington, where he died seven years later.
Robert Bauld began the manufacture of glazed brown jars in 1877. They were made from the same kind of clay as was used for brick-making, but were not very neatly finished off. The following year he had a large grain store erected near the wharves, and I n 1879 a large new shop and residence was completed for him next to the Devon Herald Office.
Henry Murray came to Latrobe in 1877 and joined Mr Nathan in business. It was not long before he became one of the most prominent citizens in the town, a busy merchant, and a large exporter of produce. In 1887 he had a large residence erected on the side of the hill overlooking the wharves.
Robert Purdy appears to have been an important builder in the seventies and eighties. In 1879 he erected the building at the corner of Gilbert and Rawnsley Streets which later became a coffee palace. Robert Masterman also was an important builder at this period.
A real building boom took place during the latter part of the seventies, and in 1877 over twenty buildings were erected during the first six months. In that year George Banfield had a baking establishment and residence completed in Upper Gilbert Street; a sawmill for Mr Vincent went up on Mr Bonney’s land; a drug store for Mr G Padman below the Devon Herald; a store for Alfred Ellis in central Gilbert Street; three shops for Robert Earl east of the Club Hotel; a store for John Heron immediately below the railway crossing; two or three buildings in Earl Town for Robert Earl, and a store for Mr A T Phillips in central Gilbert Street.
A this period the following also were in Latrobe: J G Matthews, jeweller; R Maas, watchmaker; Brownell and Co; John Locke, stationer; Keon, draper; W A Collard, general storekeeper; J Rissmann, tailor; John Mitchell, blacksmith; John Hicks, plumber; James Bellion, builder; Alfred Field, miller; Martin Thompson, bootmaker and livery-stable owner; Robert Earl (junior), tailor; Fritz Wachtershauser, tailor; J A Webb, builder; and in 1879 four Chinamen arrived to open a market garden. In the same year J O’Neal began running a conveyance daily between Latrobe and Emu Bay.
John Mitchell died in 1865, and he was followed by George Atkinson senior, in 1872, William Mitchell in 1877, and Edward Allen in 1877, all well known Latrobe pioneers.
Progress in the Eighties and Later
Samuel Sternberg, a son-in-law of Henry Bloch, came to Latrobe in January, 1880, and took over Mr Oppenheim’s store. When the railway line was nearing completion he had a large grain store erected on the eastern side of the goods yard, and he subsequently opened a retail store in the front part of it and gave up his central Gilbert Street shop. He also had a nice residence erected at the corner of Hamilton and Cotton Streets. Mr Sternberg was hit by depression of the early nineties and at the end of 1892 he went into liquidation and left Latrobe soon after.
Alfred Boatwight came to Latrobe in 1880 and purchased Mr Gerrand’s business. He became a very prominent resident and merchant.
Mr M D Heatley opened an important drapery and boot business in the town in 1886 and three years later moved into one of Mr Atkinson’s new buildings purchasing the stock of Sidebottom and Co. Mr Heatley became a leading and active citizen but misfortune caught up with him and he went into liquidation in 1896 returning to England soon after. During his short residence in Latrobe he lost his wife and some of his children.
West of Mr Sternberg’s central Gilbert Street store a three storey building arose in 1884, and the next building in 1880 although its second storey was not added till some time later. The stone building opposite was erected in 1881 for John Matthews, the jeweller; the three-shop building below the coffee palace across Rawnsley Street was erected in 1885, and the three buildings above the E S & A Bank were built in 1890 and 1891.
In lower Gilbert Street Robert Bauld had a building erected in 1885 on the north side; P J Marchant had a photograph studio opened in 1887 next to Bauld’s; in 1886 Stephen Kelcey had a two storey building erected at the corner of Twiss Street opposite the Railway Hotel; James Mitchell had a brick building erected in 1891 east of Bauld’s; and Edmund and William Lee Bartlett, who had a general store in this store in this part of the town in the early eighties, had two stores built opposite the wharves in 1884 and 1887.
Frederick Rudge, senior, died in 1885. His son Phillip was a corn merchant, and also conducted a cordial factory. Son William had a flour-mill, and George was a commission agent.
Messrs Hatton and Laws purchased Padman’s business in 1887 and then took over a building in central Gilbert Street; T R Game opened a drapery business in 1888; and J P Kenworthy took over Jabez White’s new building in 1893 and changed the wording on the front of the store from “Book Arcade” to “Boot Arcade.”
In the early eighties Henry Rockliff had a butchery establishment. Other butchers were A Hearps, H Bennett, W H Wright, and F Richards. Elvin Atkinson, a well known identity of earlier days, opened a livery-stable at the lower end of the town. C Stephenson and A A Gulliver were engineers. Coach builders were Wakeham, A Marshall, Trail and Smith, and Nichols Brothers, and Peter Flight was a blacksmith.
Doctor Park had a two-storey residence erected in 1883 in upper Gilbert Street, and Doctor Stewart had his residence built in 1891 on the side of Dooley’s Hill.
In 1893 William Levitt Wells of Don took over Mr Sternberg’s store and re-opened it in February of that year.
Latrobe was making such progress in the eighties that, on account of the number of buildings being erected, several of its prominent citizens decided to form a building society and in 1887 the Latrobe Mutual Permanent Building Society was formed. Shares were £50 each, and Mr G D Inglis was appointed Secretary, with George Atkinson and Robert Bauld as trustees.
Fires Were Many
In these early days there were many large fires which kept the fire brigade in practice. In 1884 Mark Cullen’s shop, opposite the Oddfellows’ Hall, was burnt down. In November, 1888, seven buildings in upper Gilbert Street were destroyed by fire including Fawkner’s Cooperage, Wakeham’s house, Hedditch’s shop which had been sub-let, and the Retreat Hotel. The fire started in the shop and it was afterwards proved that it had been wilfully set on fire. In 1891 W Innes’ boot-shop, almost opposite the Oddfellows’ hall, was burnt down. And the great fire which occurred at the wharves and all the large stores which were owned by Robert Bauld, Donald Wescombe, the Bartlett Brothers, M Nathan, A Boatwright, and Captain Hedstrom.
In February, 1891, James M Dooley died. He had been a prominent citizen since 1870, and in 1872 became a Member of the House Of Assembly for East Devon.
During the seventies, eighties, and early nineties Latrobe was a very busy town. It was the shopping centre for the farmers who came from many miles around, and many of the residents of Formby and Torquay came by river steamer to do their shopping in Gilbert Street. On certain days of the year there were attractions such as the annual agricultural show, the axemen’s carnival, the races, the visit of the circus, which drew hundreds of people from far and near, and of course there was sale day. Latrobe continued to be a principal town of the north-west coast for many years after the coming of the railway, and it was not until roads were improved and extended, the water on the river bar considerably deepened, and farmers began taking their produce into Devonport, that this town began to dwindle in importance.
Men Who Made Latrobe
George Atkinson came to the Mersey with his father, Zephaniah Williams, and a party of miners in 1852 to begin boring for coal and, at the head of a navigable stream known as Ballahoo Creek, they started a settlement which became known as Ballahoo.
When the bushrangers, Dalton and Kelly, visited this mining camp, it is said that they tried to tie up young George but he struggled, kicked and objected so strongly that they gave up and left him.
George’s father foresaw that the Latrobe reserve would be more suitable for a township than Tarleton and he was one of those who decided to purchase land in that area and to build on it. He was also wise enough not to build at the mouth of the Latrobe inlet where the first purchases of land took place, but to build well up in Gilbert Street. Before beginning the erection of his inn however he started an agitation for a bridge to be built at the foot of Gilbert Street instead of at Sherwood where the Deloraine road met the river, and for the road to be continued to Gilbert Street so vehicles could be routed through Latrobe. He and his backers were successful in this agitation and so old George really deserves the credit of being the “Father of Latrobe.” But as this title had been given to son George let us refer to old George as the “Grand-Father of Latrobe.”
George Atkinson, senior, passed away in 1872, fourteen years after the death of his wife.
George Atkinson, the younger, the principal subject of this brief biographical sketch, became such an important citizen of Latrobe that when he died he had become known as “The Father of Latrobe.” In the early days he and his father acquired a great deal of property including the central town-block stretching from the Latrobe (Lucas’) Hotel to the railway station including the sale yards and showgrounds at the back of Gilbert Street. He built some of the important buildings in the town including the principal hotel, and in the eighties acquired the Frogmore estate and erected a large new residence thereon.
George became a member of all the principal committees and associations. He also became a member of both the Latrobe Municipal Council and the Mersey Marine Board, being a warden of the latter body for 43 years.
In 1864 he married Rhoda, the only daughter of Zephaniah Williams. They had one son, Llewellyn, and one daughter, Joan, who became Mrs F D Boadle. His son became a prominent lawyer of Latrobe and in later years became a member of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament. George’s first wife died in 1876, after which upsetting event he went for a trip to the old country. He was married again some years later to a Miss Hogg of Dunorlan.
He died on June 21, 1920, at the age of 87.
Henry Murray, who died on January 16, 1927, was one of the outstanding people of Latrobe for many years. He was born at Evandale and was the third son of Kennedy Murray, police magistrate there.
When Henry grew up he went to the mainland where he was connected with several wheat-dealing firms for a number of years. In 1877 he returned to Tasmania and settled at Latrobe where he entered into partnership with Mr Nathan and became a prominent merchant, but a few years later he conducted a business of his own,
He married Miss Marion Wilson of Launceston and they had two sons, Henry and Allan, and two daughters, one who became Mrs Headley Ready, and Miss Hannah Murray.
Mr Murray with his long white beard, became a notable citizen. He became very highly respected and noted for his modesty and uprightness and many a farmer he helped by wiping off his debt. He was a great sportsmen in his young days and it is said that he had a long beard when he played football.
After James Monaghan Dooley died in 1891 he was elected to fill Mr Dooley’s vacancy in Parliament. He was a member of the House of Assembly for about twenty years.
He was 83 when he died and his great popularity in the north-western parts of the island was well illustrated by obituaries which appeared in all the newspapers of the island just after his death.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
"With The Pioneers" by Charles Ramsey (1884 - 1968) 2nd Edition Rev., 1980. ISBNo. 909575/04/5.
[ comment on this story ]
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Comments:
grace martin
The Lockes had a music store in the 70s.they were also members of the band
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correction
title of matron of Devon Hospital --- MRS Martha Schweichler. not Miss. She was previously Martha Walkley.
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Additional information about Samuel Sternberg.
wow! I have a passion for history and my place in it. A piece of paper, handwritten by my maternal grandfather (Martin Krieg born 1887 LIEGNITZ, emmigrated to Australia in 1938, died in Melbourne 1979), has driven me completely mad for years! It tells the story of Samuel Sternberg, as he recollected it, in about 1960 in Melbourne.
I have puzzled and puzzled, trying to make out the jigsaw of information. I was just about to sit down and put the info into my computer, to see if I could clarify it more (in my curious mind) , when, I thought I would google his name- and here Iam.
I will type in the info from Martin Krieg IN HIS WORDS, and perhaps someone out there may enlighten me further.
" Once came a little boy Samuel Sternberg from Australia to Liegnitz. His Grandmother lived there and he was educated in her house.
After some years 1860, he left again for Australia. A notice around his neck: ' I COME FROM MY GRANDMOTHER IN LIEGNITZ. I WILL GO TO AUSTRALIA AND GOOT PEOPLE WILL HELP ME'
I was grown up in Latrobe (Tasmania) and founder of a shop in 1879.
His father died in 1894. He moved to Melbourne. He had five children. 3 boys and 2 girls. Oscar,Leslie,Simon,Freda,Dorothea.
Daughter Freda stayed for a time in Germany (in Liegnitz and Breslau) at AUNT ROSA (the sister of my father Adolph Krieg)
Father of Samuel Sternberg - German
Mother of Samuel Sternberg - French
Children of Samuel Sternberg - English
FACTS: From Death Schedule- District of St Kilda. (Melbourne Australia).
Samuel died on 31st January 1927.
HIS FATHER:Alexander Sternberg - merchant
HIS MOTHER: Fredrika Sternberg (nee Platte)
HE WAS BORN in : HULL ENGLAND.
HE MARRIED : Henrietta Block in East Melbourne. (they had 5 children - 3 boys and 2 girls)
As stated earlier, I have a passion for history, and its relevance in todays world. I had thought that the maternal side of my family had arrived in Australia in 1938, fleeing from Nazi persecution, and it was indeed a pleasant surprise to find another of my maternal ancesters here in the early days of our country..
The PATERNAL side of my family was also in Tasmania; SARAH WATERS married WILLIAM TURNERon the 9TH november 1835, in the Parish of Trinity.
Sarah had been transported to Tasmania on the ISABELLA 6th August 1831 (from primary sourcedocument).
Sarah was from Pembrokeshire. She had been in the Monmouth Assises, was sentenced to 7 years, for the crime of 'Pledging a ring".
When I read her physical description from the records, I feel sad for this young woman (she was 16 years old) who was my great great great paternal grandmother. She had a scar over left eye,scar on left side of mouth, and the mark of a burn on her left shoulder.. Life must have been hard indeed and yet life went on and here we are today.
It has always tickled my fancy that the two completely different worlds, that of my mother(born in Germany) and father(born in Australia), had somehow actually shared the same soil, when this country,(as we know it), was formed.. such are the ironies of historical research..
If anyone has any feed back for me, dont hesitate to contact me on lorfe1@msn.com .
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