WHEN IS SOMETHING IN EDWARDSTOWN NOT IN EDWARDSTOWN!!!

The earliest note I have found in newspapers of  Edwardstown was in 1838,  when Mr William Edwards - and that gives a clue to the origin of the name of the suburb - decided to subdivide his Section 51. It  was the area which we now call Glandore. Between Anzac Highway and Cross Road, on the southern side of South Road.  His advert in the South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register p 186b was specifically targeted towards the 'Working Classes".  

Edwardstown quickly became a village. South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Monday 22 April 1850, page 3 has a list of ratepayers, one of whom was  Edward's Town Village and they had 100 acres.  Hammersmith Village (Section 52, now Edwardstown) had 90 acres.  Also, at the end of that year we had our own mail run and postmaster.  The times given show that the mail left Adelaide at 10.45am,  arrived back at 12.30pm then on to Adelaide.  The roads had grown from tracks,  and simply dirt (mud or dust depending on weather), or crushed rock covering the surface.
Creeks crisscrossed the land.

Edwardstown was once the area we call Glandore; Edwardstown was Clarence Park around Edward Street up to Price Avenue (now Melrose Park).  Edwardstown was from Cross Roads, between Marion and South Roads to Raglan Avenue.  Edwardstown was then from Raglan Ave to Daws Road.

We had Edwardstown East, Edwardstown West - in the Mitcham council area and the Brighton (early Marion) council area and there was also the Edwardstown working men's blocks.   Other names for Edwardstown have been Bessington, Hammersmith, Woodlands ,pt of Cudmore Park,  Alexander/Alexandra Park,  Blythville (only for one year) Ackland Gardens,Mirreen, St Marys West, Working men's Blocks  and Harcourt Gardens.  Boundaries moved often and people would say they came from one area or another - even those who lived in the same street.

There is an Edwardstown School in Edward Street, but not in today's  Edwardstown.  That public school is in Edward Street, Melrose Park - Mitcham Council area.
There is however an Emmaus Christian College in South Plympton.  Originally in 1958 a new Girl's High School was built in Wheaton Street, Vermont.    My sister went to Vermont Kindergarten back in the 1950s.

The Edwardstown Institute - not in Edwardstown of today.   Edwardstown churches - two here.  Edwardstown Oval, Bowling club, cycling club, and the Soldiers Memorial grounds are all in South Plympton.

We do have Edwardstown Community  Church on corner of Towers Tce  and Delaine Ave., Edwardstown. The Edwardstown railway Station & Woodlands tennis courts are in Edwardstown.  However, Woodlands train station is in Edwardstown. There was a preschool/kindy on cnr Aberfeldy Ave and Towers Tce - it was called Harcourt Gardens - but it was moved to join up with Forbes School on the Cnr Marion and Thomas Sts South Plympton.  Luckily, Edwardstown Meals on Wheels is actually in Edwardstown!   It was a similar theme with South Plympton on one side of the road and the other side was in Vermont.  Vermont, South Plympton and Forbes now all South Plympton.

Edwardstown Industrial School

Now Glandore Community Centre.

Front entrance to the Centre and park

 Many of the original buildings which served for many years as a girls reformatory, and an 'Industrial School have been beautifully restored and are now in a large and beautiful park like setting. A great Australian outdoors setting.   Most of the buildings belong to the  Glandore Community Centre, but one of the buildings houses Coast FM.   A local 24 hour live radio station.  88.7.  Volunteers play music of all genres - from the war years to the 90s,  including Jazz, country, rock and roll.  To see the type of music, when it will be played, and 'meet' the volunteers, go to their website - you can also listen online.  http://www.coastfm.com.au
The radio station is open 5 days a week.   9-4 Mon-Thurs 9-2 Fri.

 The history of the complex  is written in the book " The Glandore story   From Hulk to Haven" written by Charles Morley 1995, copies of which can be obtained from the Glandore Community

Centre.  It tells of the Girls Reformatory opening in 1890 and traces the use of the buildings throught the decades.  Mr Morley also explains how, when and why the Community came into being.

 In the centre itself are some items which tell of some of the history.  There was more, but it seems to have been moved somewhere else - a pity as I remember seeing some of it and it made the history of the place even more real and interesting.   I love walking on the uneven and creaking wooden floorboards, touching the rough walls and imagine how many children have walked the same places.
 Outside in the beautifully kept gardens, one can look more closely at the buildings with their unusual shapes, chimney pots, curved verandahs.      There is a rotunda, a large grassed area and a barbeque spot, and huge trees to shelter under from the sun. There is a creche and a playground.   A spot for all people.    

Unusual chimney pot atop corregated tin roof.

The centre is in Naldera Street, Glandore  - once called Edwardstown,  hence the name Edwardstown Industrial School.  Naldera is off Winifred Ave.   The 241 bus goes along Winifred Ave, and the tram is quite close, as is Anzac Highway.  It is very conveniently placed  - I use the buses and have been to the centre many times.  There is plenty of space for cars, so don't put off visiting the area. Take the dog for a walk, have a picnic, play some games with your children.    Walk around the neighbourhood as there are many fine old houses to admire.  Feel the history, see the history.

Edwardstown Industrial School War Memorial Board.

When researching the missing Edwardstown and Districts WW1 Memorial Board, I went to Glandore and saw the large Memorial Board in a hallway adjacent to the main office for the Community Centre.    Listed on the board are 294 names of young men who had passed through the Industrial School for one reason or another.   49 were killed.  The huge wooden board , which is mentioned on page 13 of the Glandor book mentioned above, tells how the Commando Association came to restore it and place it safely in the main building.  I have been writing short stories about the 'boys' who gave their lives for 'King and Country'  and hope to put them on this blog soon.  Many of the stories are heartbreaking and show how much society has changed since the Great War.  It also gives an insight about young boys and how the Industrial School operated.         On the 29th October, 1921 the South Australian Governor officially opened the State Boys Memorial Hall, at the Industrial School, where the Memorial Board was hung.  During one of the speeches, it was made clear that the first Military Medal awarded in France was to a lad from the Industrial School.
I had often thought that the School would have been a terrible place, but during  research, I have changed my mined, and think that in many cases, it would have been the best thing for a young child at that period of time.

This is one of the old buildings on the Glandore site.   Where is the other window?

Edwardstown Railway Station

EDWARDSTOWN RAILWAY STATION

In our area there are three train stations. Edwardstown, Woodlands and Ascot Park.

Found this picture of Edwardstown Railway Station  from the Advertiser (Adelaide SA 1931-1954) Mon 22 Jun 1953 Page 7).

 Station Porter Mr Baum was held up at gunpoint by two males wearing handkerchiefs over their faces..  They tied him  up and escaped with cash worth about 4 Pounds.     The criminals then escaped through the stand of pine trees but were captured quite  quickly.  Two teenage boys were arrested.

The first station up and running was  Edwardstown.

In The Advertiser 4.8.1900 p11 there is a story about the proposed railway line connecting the city with Brighton. Two of the largest councils were at that time, Brighton and Mitcham. The speakers pointed out the benefits to all surrounding districts. A Mr M McLachlan of Brighton submitted figures that he said would show that it would be a better and cheaper route than from the city to Glenelg then on to Brighton.

“Mr G J Bawden said he had been a resident of Edwardstown for 12 years” and during that time the population had grown with more than 500 people settling into the district and many more travelling to Edwardstown to work at the factories there. He also said that nothing had been done to assist these people with contact of Adelaide city and also that the people of Edwardstown had been “badly served”. The latter comment seems to have  been a neglect  that has continued on by Marion council over the decades.  Edwardstown left out as the area around Marion Village, the shopping centre and new developments down south. Still the poor relations. Even in 2019, the concern of the Council is at Tonsley and surrounding areas to get hotels, new train line, and underpasses and overpasses.  Marion shopping centre, Oaklands xing.  We bike lanes.

The meeting in August followed a 'deputation of residents at Edwardstown, Hammersmith and neighbourhood” who had contacted the Railways Commissioner. “The Advertiser 3.8.1900 p4”

November 24^th, 1913 the first train to Willunga left Adelaide.

More to come............