Balwyn Historical Society Newsletter May 2015 Meetings Thursday 14 May 2015 – 8pm Speaker: Dolores San Miguel Topic – Lionel San Miguel Dolores San Miguel, author of The Secret Love Letters: a Family History, will speak about her family research and her uncle, the architect Lionel San Miguel. Lionel San Miguel designed Our Lady of Good Counsel Church Deepdene and several houses in the Balwyn area. __________________________________________________ Thursday 11 June 2015 – 8pm Speaker: Janis Sheldrick Topic: George Goyder of the Goyder Line Janis Sheldrick, author of Nature’s Line, will speak about George Goyder, Surveyor-General of South Australia (1861-1894). Goyder was a major figure in the shaping of South Australia and founder of Darwin. _______________________________________________________________________ Thursday 9 July 2015 – 8pm Speaker: Associate Professor Don Garden Topic: Water, Rolling Countryside & Fresh Air: How the Environment shaped Boroondara and Balwyn All meetings are held at the Balwyn Evergreen Centre, 45 Talbot Avenue, Balwyn Email: [email protected] website: www.vicnet.net.au/~balwynhs 1 Recent Speaker – Ken James Ken James spoke most enthusiastically about how his research into his forebears and the history of Lyal led him in an unexpected direction when he came across Lyal State School rolls with five students named Ah Gooey and another named Ah Fooke. Extensive research into land records, newspapers, claims and lease registers revealed a substantial Chinese population in the area in the 19th century. One map even showed a Chinese settlement in the area. Chinese miners were mainly involved in alluvial mining and once the gold petered out many moved to market gardening. However Henry Ah Gooey was to become the respected local store keeper. While the introduction of the White Australia Policy prevented many of the miners from being reunited with their families, at least one man returned to China on a number of occasions to visit his wife and children. Besides his book on the history of the Lyal District, Ken has written a number of other local histories. Among them are a history of the West Melbourne Literary Institute and Surrey Hills Literary Institute: A History. These can be purchased from Ken. Boroondara Remembers: Stories of World War 1 cleverly intertwines the personal stories of some of Boroondara’s lesser known citizens who signed up for the war and the nurses who cared for those wounded with the events happening on the home front. It covers the way in which the many local community groups raised funds to help the war effort as well as providing an insight into the conscription debate, the care of returned soldiers in Boroondara and the area’s post war years. The authors write in an engaging and highly personal style and their research has uncovered a wonderful collection of photographs, many from the families of those mentioned in the book, others from library collections and the Red Cross Archives. This book, by Fiona Poulton and Katherine Sheedy, was recently published as part of Boroondara’s Gallipoli and Beyond 2015 commemorations. It is “the story of how the people of Boroondara experienced the war”. It very As the Mayor, Coral Ross, says in her introduction: “There will be many histories written for the centenary of Gallipoli. But this is a deeply personal local history and we are the richer for knowing about the lives of just some of Boroondara’s Anzacs.” Copies of the book will be available at our May meeting. Cost $15.00 2 Smythe, Robert Sparrow (1833–1917) This article by M Shillingsburg was first published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, (MUP), 1990. Robert Sparrow Smythe Photo http://dictionaryofsydney.org Robert Sparrow Smythe (1833-1917), journalist and entrepreneur, was born in March 1833 at Lambeth, London, son of Robert Smythe and his wife Elizabeth. He served in London as a proofreader for Robson, Levey & Robson, printers, and probably studied law reporting, for he was competent in shorthand. Migrating to Australia in 1855 in search of better health, Smythe became parliamentary reporter on the Register in Adelaide and later editor of the Illustrated Post (Illustrated Australian News), one of the first pictorial papers in Australia. Moving to Melbourne, he wrote for the Age and in 1859-80 part-owned and edited the Chronicle (St Kilda). After working as a music and drama critic for newspapers in New South Wales and South Australia, he lived for many years at Deepdene, Melbourne. In 1862 Smythe turned to theatrical management, accompanying the tenor and soprano duo, the Bianchis. Then followed a five-year tour with French violinists Poussard and Douay in whose musical company he met English-born Amelia Elizabeth Bailey, a popular coloratura soprano, whom he eventually married in Melbourne on 18 October 1881. He also managed the French pianist Boulanger, the magician Robert Heller, the German tragedian Daniel Bandmann and others. During Smythe's 1863 tour of Asia, India and South Africa he claimed to be the first manager to conduct a company into Japan after the 1854 port treaty, and to take professionals to the Himalayas and the Transvaal. His first Australian 'discovery' was the popular lecturer Rev. Charles Clark. Smythe piloted him around Australia annually for four years, and eventually on tours of North America and South Africa. After this success, Smythe began about 1872 to specialize in lecture management, taking Australians to Europe and America, and bringing scientists, explorers and literary personalities from there to Australasia. He accompanied English astronomer R. A. Proctor, war correspondent Archibald Forbes, journalist G. Augustus Sala, authors Annie Besant and Professor M. D. Conway, preacher Dr Talmadge and explorer Henry Stanley. During the 1890s Smythe acted as agent for the French writer Paul Blouet ('Max O'Rell'), baritone Charles Santley, and Sir Charles and Lady Hallé, and was widely respected as one of the best managers in Australasia. In September 1895 he announced tour management as his full-time occupation. His most triumphant 'lion' was Mark Twain who, 3 as a bankrupt in 1895, accepted Smythe's longstanding invitation to tour the world. Smythe's varied experiences, geniality and excellence as a raconteur made him a popular companion. His short, stocky stature and bushy moustache provided the stuff of caricature for the press. Active in management until 1913, he died at Deepdene on 23 May 1917 and was buried with Anglican rites in Box Hill cemetery. His estate was sworn for probate at £14,956. His wife, two daughters and a son survived him. The son Carlyle Greenwood Smythe (18651925), journalist and manager, was born on 16 September 1865 at Ambala, India, while his parents were in the Punjab. He grew up in Melbourne where he was educated at Hawthorn Grammar School and Trinity College, University of Melbourne (B.A., 1888). During a brief journalistic career, he was for three years editor of the Belgian Times in Brussels and author of a history of Belgium. From the Twain tour of 1895 he became Robert's partner in lecture management. When his father retired, Carlyle conducted Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mrs Besant, Max O'Rell and Captain Amundsen, and wrote several magazine pieces about his experiences. On 11 November 1903 he married Elsa Dorette Bode at St Barnabas Anglican Church, Balwyn. After suffering serious burns to his hands, he went to live at Deepdene; he became a music and drama critic as well as a writer on international policy for the Argus and other papers. Survived by his wife, he died on 15 December 1925 at Nice, France, where he had undergone surgery. His estate was sworn for probate at £19,825. Select Bibliography Punch (Melbourne), 24 July 1913 Age (Melbourne), 24 May 1917, 18 Dec 1925 Argus (Melbourne), 24, 26 May 1917, 18 Dec 1925 Referee (Sydney), 30 May 1917 Australasian, 26 Dec 1925. Citation details M. Shillingsburg, 'Smythe, Robert Sparrow (1833– 1917)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/smythe-robertsparrow-8568/text14955, published first in hardcopy 1990, accessed online 26 January 2015. Highgate (on the Hill) – Burke Road, Deepdene Built for Robert Smythe c. 1885 Photo: Courtesy Gwen McWilliam Balwyn Historical Society - Contact details Balwyn Historical Society is a program of the Balwyn Evergreen Centre. President Secretary Treasurer/ Membership Speakers/ Publicity Archivist Newsletter Bill Pritchard 9857 8001 Pat O’Dwyer 9836-3652 Barbara Russell Judith Cleary Robin Kelly 9836 6589 Phone – 9836 9681 Webmaster Neil Swansson Non-Committee Assistants Newsletter mailout Lynette Woolley, DeidreWoolley Resources Heather Alford Pam Herrington Pat O’Dwyer 9836-3652 4 5
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