157 ST JOHN STREET - MOSAIC MEMORIAL

MOSAIC RAREDOS, ST JOHN'S LAUNCESTON

This lovely mosaic reredos (“an ornamental screen covering the back wall of an altar”), made as a memorial to the fallen of World War One, is located inside St John's church in Launceston. It was made in 1921. The glass tiles were from England, and the construction was carried out by Brooks Robinson and Co of Melbourne. There is no need to say more, but if you'd like additional details, you can use TROVE to read an informative article in The Examiner 30^th June 1921.

136 WELLINGTON STREET

BRITANNIA HOUSE, 136 WELLINGTON STREET

This building is described by the Tasmanian Heritage Council as “A two storey Georgian building with ordered fenestration, a hipped roof, narrow boxed eaves and an articulated corner.” For those who are wondering I'll save you the trouble of looking up “fenestration” which seems to just mean “windows.

There are a lot of comparatively recent additions to the basic structure so its easy to drive by and not appreciate the rather nice structure underneath (rusty roof and all). The Heritage Council's data sheet records the building at 136 Wellington Street as originally being the “Britannic Hotel.” There are several references in early newspapers to the Britannia in Wellington Street, but none that I can find to the Britannic Hotel............so maybe a typo?

The earliest reference I found to an establishment by the former name was an inquest held on the premises in February 1839. In 1840 it is referred to as “Britannia Inn,” in 1843 it was the “Britannia Tavern”. Later that decade it is referred to as “The Britannia Wine Vaults” and later still as the “Britannia Wine Cellar.” Patrick Monaghan was the licensee in 1845. Unfortunately beyond “Wellington Street” there is little indication of precisely where the hotel(s) was/were located.

This extract from the Launceston Family Album (a record of those who attended the Tasmanian Exhibition” of 1891-92) provides some helpful clues: 

“Gertrude Elizabeth Doolan was born in Launceston on 20 May 1868, the fourth child of Thomas Joseph Doolan and his wife Jane Monaghan (died Oct 1920). Gertrude was believed to have stayed at home as housekeeper to her mother and brothers following the death of her father in Dec 1885. She lived out her life at 'Brittania House', which was formerly the Brittania Wine Vaults, with her two brothers Gervase and Arthur. The building was later to become the funeral parlour of the Doolan family”. -Margaret Brown & Janice Fletcher Oct 2005

A quick search confirmed that the location of Doolan's funeral parlour was, indeed, located at 136 Wellington Street.  For the blog photo, 

I photoshopped out an inconveniently located telegraph pole, but there was nothing I could do about the “modern” extensions and all the signage. When you next drive by, though, it's worth looking beyond the obvious exterior to the rather nice nineteenth century building hiding underneath.

LAUNCESTON COAT OF ARMS

LAUNCESTON COAT OF ARMS

This example of the Launceston City coat of arms can be found on the civic buildings in St John Street opposite the town hall and seems to feature an “artistic” interpretation of its formal colours The coat of arms was approved at a council meeting in 1893, although Alderman Barrett was less that impressed with the appearance of the Tasmanian tigers.

The council website provides the following explanation of the elements of its official design: “The gold shield refers to the history of gold mining in districts surrounding Launceston. The top green portion of the shield is symbolic of the city's parks, gardens and surrounding countryside, and the Tasmanian waratah flowers are symbolic of endemic flora. The blue Pall represents the River Tamar and the North Esk River and the South Esk River. The golden centre point represents Launceston's location at the confluence of the three rivers. The two tin ingots on the pall refer to the days when tin smelting took place in the city. The supporters are the famous thylacines. Although possibly extinct, their appearance is ideally heraldic. (The thylacine gained additional significance in the mid 1980s when it was adopted as Council's logo.) The crest is the yellow wattle bird, endemic to Tasmania, resting on a native gum branch and holding a sprig of gum in its beak. The compartment on which the whole rests includes an English heraldic rose on one side of the shield and sprigs of wattle on the other. These were added in 1957 by the College of Heralds as tokens of the city's loyalty to the 'mother country' (United Kingdom).”

A description of the coat of arms published by the Examiner on 25^th August 1936, suggests that the circle at the junction of the rivers is a “bezanit (a gold coin of Eluzantium), symbolic of wealth.” The author also writes that the wattlebird presented sitting on a branch is emblematic of council and that the foliage in its mouth, stands for peace. He suggests that silver is the third mineral to be symbolically included in the coat of arms, and that the rampant presentation of the thylacines is “emblematic of magnanimity”. This article was inspired by the fact that Melbourne had just had its coat of arms officially recorded (at a cost of 130 pounds). Launceston did not apply for registration until the council's centenary in 1953.

PRINCES SQUARE DRINKING FOUNTAIN

When one mentions Prince's Square and fountain, the immediate thought is of the magnificent French creation that graces the centre of the park. I will get around to that eventually, but this week thought I'd write a word or two about the humbler, but still quite sweet little drinking fountain.

An entry on ehive.com which includes a black and white photo indicates that the National Trust suggest the fountain (which appears to be the one in my photo) was a gift from Robert de Little. The date given is “unknown” c. 1960 – 1980. I would assume this date refers to the photo as the fountain appears to be much older. (Not that I would claim to know this!).

Robert de Little did indeed pay for a number of drinking fountains for Launceston – he tried to begin a subscription fund to share the cost in 1869, but when no one else contributed he financed the entire project himself with a hundred guineas. De Little, a builder and civic-minded businessman died in February 1876.

 A letter to The Examiner written in 1892, suggests the need for a drinking fountain in Princes Square (so there does not appear to have already have been one there). The same year, the council decided against the erection of a drinking fountain in the square as there was already one on the corner of St John and Elizabeth Streets. Perhaps this was later re-located into the park. An article in ­of February 24^th 1924, makes reference to a recently erected fountain in Princes Square, and looking at the decoration, I wonder if this is that fountain, despite the details mentioned above? I don't know.......love to hear from you if you do!

TAMAR ISLAND

Tamar Island (located in the Tamar Island Wetlands Reserve, just off the West Tamar Highway between Riverside and Legana) was first noted by Europeans in 1804, when it was named “Upper Island.” Tamar Island has always been crown land, but over the years has been used for a variety of purposes, and sometimes privately leased. 

Convict labour was used to reclaim land in the wetland area as early as the 1820s.  In the 1880s it became the base for an on-going dredging operation to allow ships better access to the Launceston port. (This is obviously not a new issue). Derelict ships and barges were also used to try and block part of the river and increase the flow in the main channel. By this time, the island was known as “Pig Island.”

There was a report in The Daily Telegraph (Launceston) in 1900, that mentioned a man with a suspected case of bubonic plague, being confined to “Pig Island.” This seems to have been a pragmatic rather than planned response to the perceived threat.

THE BOARDWALK TO TAMAR ISLAND

As time went on, the recreational potential of the island was recognized. In 1906 there was a privately funded proposal to erect tea rooms and another name change to “Tamar Island” ensued. (Other suggested names included Panogana (white mud),and Kuawatto (afternoon) but the minister had the final say, and clearly favoured the literal). Various expensive ornamental trees were planted, but eventually the plans foundered due to the unforeseen costs involved in building a suitable jetty. By 1917, such plans had been abandoned but despite applications, the Marine Board was reluctant to lease the ground for grazing as livestock would likely destroy the trees.

There are many stories associated with the island. I'ts easy to find the old oak tree that has now all but consumed, a rusted plough once left behind, legend has it, by a grief-stricken widowed farmer who abandoned the land. and you won't find it hard to find lots of references on-line to Bruno the marooned bull.

The Tasmanian state government purchased it in the 1980s, and incorporated it into the Tamar River Conservation Area

https://www.environment.gov.au/water/wetlands/publications/wetlands-australia/national-wetlands-update-february-2012-15 contains interesting information regarding the wetlands of which Tamar Island is an integral part.

The whole wetlands area is a photographer's dream – its great on a sunny day, but in winter, when the trees are bare, the tide is low and the skies are dark and threatening its even better!

CITY PARK MONKEYS

ONE OF THE CITY PARK MONKEYS

Monkeys were around in Launceston for most of the city's existence, and have been in City Park since the 1800s. Interestingly, there seems to have always been controversy about whether or not it is appropriate to keep the animals as exhibits. As early as the 1890s letters were written to the editor of the Examiner expressing concern for their welfare.

Monkeys were kept as a part of the zoo which existed within City Park, the collection having begun in 1850 with the exhibition of two of the last remaining Tasmanian emus from Circular Head, donated by James Gibson. It seems to have grown into an odd assortment of animals which also included an eagle, hens, deer, dingoes, kangaroos and wallabies. At that stage the gardens belonged to the Horticultural Society, the original aim being to collect representations of both the plants and animals of Australia. Just how or why monkeys were introduced into the mix is still unclear to me

(See http://www.naturalworlds.org/thylacine/captivity/zoos/zoos_7.htm for additional information including the location of the zoo within the park)

The “People's Park” passed into the hands of the City of Launceston in 1863, and by 1895, it was becoming clear that considerable resources were needed to successfully maintain its animals . The council decided to persist with the zoo, the verdict being “if it is to be abolished what will the children say?” A shift in emphasis from scientific curiosity that prevailed when the collections began to its value as an amusement seems to have occurred.

Monkeys remained in City Park in the twentieth century. In 1903 a large African monkey escaped and attacked a tourist from Queensland! By 1913, the council had decided to let the animals of City Park “die out” and a letter to the paper in 1924 confirmed that only one monkey remained, alone and caged, a sad fate for a social animal. The population must however have been replenished at some stage afterwards, as a baby rhesus monkey was born in City Park in 1931. He was named Augustus, and he became a “star” of postcards before he had to be relocated to the mainland because he “became ferocious”.

The Examiner gave the original number of monkeys as five, but by 1954, a single male, known as Joe, remained. The council was hoping to swap him for a couple of “younger and more playful” monkeys from Adelaide!! I don't know the outcome to that particular ambition.

The monkeys in the park today live in a much lovelier enclosure than that endured by those that preceded them. The current residents are Japanese macaques. The original modern population arrived in 1980, swapped for a similar number of wallabies.

Monkeys were always considered a source of entertainment, as well as “specimens” of natural history. Wombwell's Australian Menagerie, for instance arrived in town In 1858. Four lions, a Bengal tiger, a jackal and several monkeys were “on view” on the corner of Brisbane and George Streets! The “American Circus” visited in the 1880s with a “clever” mandrill. Fillis's Circus in 1893 featured pony-riding monkeys, whilst in 1899 Fitzgerald's Circus included a monkey who rode a goat.

Monkeys were also considered suitable pets in the nineteenth century. In 1846 there was an article about a monkey kept in the stableyard of an unnamed Launceston hotel who found money in an old discarded glove – the discovery of the money seemingly more amazing that the existence of the monkey, so one could surmise that whilst not common, they were not unknown in town, Launceston being a major port of call for ships from many corners of the world in the early years.

In 1855, several monkeys were brought to Launceston from Timor and sold for thirty shillings each. I was surprised to read this as it had never occurred to me that Timor was home to a monkey population. A quick consultation with Wikipedia, however, confirmed that macaques do indeed live there.

An 1896 letter to the children's section of the Examiner reads as follows “I must....tell you about my pet monkey. I bought him in Melbourne before Christmas. He was then very thin and miserable looking, but now he is so different and looks so contented and happy. I keep him in a large cage about six feet square, but take him out and nurse him sometimes. I bought a belt and chain for him, but he objects to it just yet. He is very fond of children and has such games with them. It is very amusing to see him with a hand mirror. He feels behind it for the other monkey and feeds it on the glass. His name is Jacko.”

..........and so on.........

This post leads to so many other potential interesting little stories about circuses and exhibitions, about the nineteenth century interest in natural history, about.....well, I could go on and on, but i already have and its time to stop!

94 BRISBANE STREET - PERRINS DRAPERY part two

PERRINS DRAPERY, 94 BRISBANE STREET

Hold on to your hats (and trims).......this is part two of the Examiner's article (early advertorial?) for Perrins drapery , built in the late 19^th century by J & T Gunn which once had pride of place just over the St John Street intersection, in Brisbane Street.

The reporter from The Examiner, recounting the treasures that could be found in the shop in September 1898, was enthusiastic. They wrote:

“The show-room has a very special display of French and English millinery, that is at once tasteful and stylish, generally speaking, although of course rather daring combinations of tones appear occasionally. The "Mushroom" hat. is evidently a leading shape, and should, on its own merits,

become very popular, there being certain amount of simplicity accompanying the newness that should prove a recommendation. These have a drooping brim, and rather wide, flat crown, usually chiffon or gauze is used to drape round the crown and over the brim, some flowers being placed under the brim, near the back,and a rather high- mount of waving quill feathers, with ribbon at the back. Satin straw has all the favour—no doubt this is owing to its extreme lightness and softness. A very stylish "Mushroom" hat of deep yellow satin straw, I admired immensely; it was trimmed in front with gauze ribbon of its own tint, and black lace and sequin wings, while under the brim, at

the back, was a spray of deep yellow crushed, roses and. bright autumn leaves.”

After breathlessly describing the Arline hat, a French bonnet and any number of trims, The Examiner's writer describes (in a similar amount of detail) the children's section, and selections available in blouses, underclothing (available in a clearly impressive choice of 3 sizes), skirts and corsets . Evidently “tweeds suited for cycling costumes”..were “well represented”. (Maybe not as comfy as lycra but surely more classy). “The fancy department” provided “all the latest fripperies,”

and there were gloves to suit everyone and “evening gloves of all classes.”

An undated photograph taken when Perrins were still operating can be viewed on the LINC website.

Perrins were still trading in the 1950s.

92-94 BRISBANE STREET - PERRINS DRAPERY

PERRINS BUILDING, 94 BRISBANE STREET

I was a little bit confused at first when I tried to find out a little more about this building, which again illustrates the advice I'd give to all tourists (and locals!) in Launceston – look up! It is located in Brisbane street and is now home to Lovisa and Gloria Jeans. The uncertainty arose because the building indicates Perrins was established in 1870, and newspaper advertising confirms that Pepper and Perrins were operating in Brisbane Street in this era. QVMAG's ever reliable article on Launceston's industrial heritage, however, dated the building to 1898. Just to confuse things a little more, the drapery of J.Pepper which was associated with Perrins dates back to 1850.

The answer was a destructive fire that occurred in the premises of this large “drapery” store in May 1898. Although some areas of the building were left intact, and fire brigade were quick to act, the damage was extensive, and by September the business had re opened in a new building. The following description from The Examiner 24^th September 1898 makes me somewhat envious of nineteenth century shoppers. Not everything improves with time. I wouldn't normally include an article of this length, but as everything in it seemed worth imagining, I think its worth posting over a couple of weeks.

“At the new buildings,Messrs. Pepper and Perrin are now making a splendid spring show throughout their drapery establishment, Central Brisbane-street. The large and attractive premises that have recently been completed for this firm have given them very great advantages in displaying the new importations.

The three large show windows in front afford admirable means of showing dainty goods; and passing through either of the glass entrance doors brings one into a spacious shop that has a full complement of wide, polished counters, with foot rest, and are furnished with comfortable chairs.

A wide staircase of Tasmanian blackwood and pine leads up to the showroom, which is quite the largest in the city; and is fitted luxuriously with carpet, and mirror panels set into the wall, and, full length swing mirrors on the floor. Polished counters of blackwood and pine, and glass showcases round the walls, add to the general appearance.

In the centre of the room a large glass case, set in a frame, with massive base, attracts attention at once, being filled with various kinds of millinery accessories of the brightest and most bewitching varieties.

Costumes, blouses, and millinery are displayed upon stands in various parts of the unusually large room. A fitting room,where customers may fit jackets,costumes, blouses, etc., is a happy thought, and will be the means of abolishing so much approval business - here the fitting can be attended to,

and alterations, if needed, arranged at once.

Welsbach gas lamps, with rose-tinted glass, is used for lighting the showroom, the other parts of the building having electric lamps. Special attention has been given to ventilation, and a splendid lavatory is provided, and altogether Messrs.Pepper and Perrin are to be complimented upon their really fine house of business, in regard to both the building itself and the very complete stock of choice and novel goods that crowd each department. Throughout the building the arrangements for admitting light are excellent, so that customers have every opportunity of well inspecting before they purchase that which they may require.”

Sadly modern fit-outs have removed all trace of the Perrins of old.

NEXT WEEK: What might you have purchased in this fine establishment?

39 William Street

THE TAMAR HOTEL

Well, thought this one would be easy....silly me. Today this building houses Boag's Visitor's Centre in William Street, Launceston. A sensible person would probably stop there however.......

After much looking, the history of the building is still as clear as mud, but I'll go with it anyway if only to illustrate the issues that one can find when trying to research the history of Launceston pubs.

It is important to be aware that various hotels operated under the same name at different locations. Occasionally this was co incidence, but more often the licensee changed establishments and took the name with them. Street numbers weren't commonly used and thus even when you've pinned down the street, the specific location within it can't be assumed (although at least if its on a corner it narrows the location down to four possibilities). Hotels can be rebuilt or modified to such a degree that the existent building bears little, if any resemblance to the original structure. In the past, as much, if not more so than today, typos happened – sometimes newspaper reports give incorrect locations. These are just some of the things that can obscure the facts.

According to Wikipedia: “The Lame Dog Hotel (later known as the Tamar Hotel) was constructed in 1826 and by the 1930s the Georgian style building had become one of Launceston's most notable hotels. George Radford and his family operated the hotel for 26 years. The building was restored to house the Boag's Centre for Beer Lovers.”

An address by E Whitfield recollecting the early days of Launceston and reported in The Examiner on 6^th February 1897, however claims that the Tamar Hotel was once known as the Golden Lion and before that as the Sawyers Arms.” and that “at the foot of George Street there was a ferry and near that ferry stood another public house. It was named the Lame Dog.” In other words the Lame Dog and Tamar Hotel were different places.

Whitfield may, however, have been mistaken, as in 1836, Antonio Martini had a hotel called the Sawyers Arms which, depending on which licensing report you read was either on the corner of Tamar and Cameron Street or Tamar and Brisbane Street. (The block may have been big enough to span both adresses?)

A letter of complaint about the state of the road written in 1838 suggests that the Lame Dog was located in William Street between Tamar and George Street.

In September 1831, a license was issued to George Radford for an un named hotel in William Street. The license for the Golden Lion in William Street, passed from him to his son (also named George) in December 1841. An advertisement placed for the hotel in this month refers to it as a “newly erected premises” - hardly true if the building was already ten years old. So was the hotel rebuilt, renovated, moved to another location in the street, or was George just “talking it up?”

At this time, and until at least the mid 1860s, there was a Tamar Hotel, located on the eastern side of the river some nine miles from the centre of Launceston.

When Alf Turner, previously of the Burnie Coffee Palace, took possession of the William Street Tamar Hotel in 1901, he described it as “once known as the Golden Lion”. This would tend to suggest that it had still been known as such in relatively recent times, however in 1874 Benjamin Crow applied for a new licence to operate the Tamar Hotel in William Street, and there was an 1872 report of a fire that began in the stables of “Bank's Tamar Hotel” in William Street,(which destroyed three cottages and damaged others). Might the name have been switched from one building to another in the same street?

Well I don't know if I've confused you, but I've certainly confused myself. I'm sure the mystery of how many hotels were involved, and exactly where it/they were located and how this relates to the Boags visitor's centres, and precisely which year this was built can be solved with further research. One day if the time pixies give me a few more hours in the day I might put in the effort!   

TAKE THE PHOTO NOW!

A bit of a different post now......  I usually park in the Bathurst Street Car Park and have noticed some changes in the last couple of weeks.  The mural is gone!  I don't know the history of the picture - its been surprisingly hard to track down on-line, although I assume it was part of the Streets Alive event from quite a few years ago.  (Please correct me if this is not the case).  I didn't even realize I'd miss it until it disappeared, and how much I took it for granted until I saw it almost completely covered with grey paint and thought....Oh no!  Did I take a photo of it or not?

As you can see....yes I did.  I did write myself a mental note though.......DO take pictures of the everyday things around you.  Nothing last forever and ultimately it's the everyday things you will probably want to remember and share with future generations more than those exotic once-off holiday snaps.  As you can see from the photos - even a week can change things!

MURAL BATHURST STREET CAR PARK

.  The wall is clearly a work in progress - no editorial about that......

GOING

GONE

87-89 LINDSAY STREET

VIEW LOOKING TOWARDS GRAIN SILOS, INVERESK

The silos in Lindsay Street, on the “North Bank”, close to where the North Esk joins the Tamar, are undergoing a radical redevelopment into a luxury hotel, so its probably timely to record them as “they are” but probably will soon no longer be.

They are frequently referred to as “an eyesore” (perhaps especially by those favouring the hotel development) but I have never seen them that way. Perhaps because I have never seen the landscape without them they have always seemed to belong just where they are.

The silos were being used for grain storage into this century, but were sold to a private company, The Tasmanian Grain Elevators Board, by the Tasmanian government in 2004. They sold to Tas Silos, who in turn sold to Roberts. The silos were subsequently acquired by the Launceston City Council for “flood protection.” It was later decided that they were not actually needed for this purpose, and so were sold back to Roberts, the previous owners who on-sold them to the current owners Old Launceston Sea Port Pty Ltd.

I have spent quite some time looking for an on-line reference providing more information about the history of the silos prior to this time with little luck, other from newspaper articles.

An article in The Advocate in 1951 refers to the construction of wheat silos by the Tasmanian government and the employment of Victorian consultant engineers to this end, and The Examiner of 7^th September 1951 reported the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works had recommended the construction of silos at the southern end of Kings Wharf at an estimated cost of 553 thousand pounds. At that stage, it was intended that the marine board would manufacture the concrete foundations. In 1953 construction still hadn't commenced, as test drilling had proved “unsatisfactory.” In February the following year, engineers had still not been able to find stable ground upon which suitable foundations could be built. Modernismtas.blogspot.com.au mentions that the silos were designed in the “late 1950s.”

In short, I don't have a date, but assume late fifties/early sixties would be accurate. I gather that the “grain” stored in the silos was wheat, but don't know whether or not other grains were stored, nor do I know who ended up designing the silos or building them or even how they “worked” in terms of pick up and delivery Perhaps someone could help with more information?