Private James Thomas Roy Easton of Kensington

A shipping clerk from Bellair Street, Kensington, Roy Easton joined the AIF in July 1915, not long after the landing at Gallipoli.  He embarked with the 14 Infantry Battalion, and died of wounds after a trench raid in 1916.  Rod Martin tells his story here.

A Brilliant Student

Private Edwin James George Pitman of Smith Street, Kensington, departed for the war on the Barambah in August 1918.  At the time of his enlistment in January 1918 he was one of the top maths student in the state.  He had previously served four years with the 53rd (Albert Park) Battalion senor cadets, and with the Melbourne University Rifles during his period at the University.  Was the Army protecting him by sending him to the Pay Corps?  Any other volunteer of his age and previous military training might have expected to have been on a ship and heading towards France within weeks of his enlistment.  He could have spent months in France in 1918 dodging shells - instead of which he arrived in London three days after the Armistice.  Sheila Byard tells the story of this brilliant student.

Hardiman's Hotel, formerly the Clarence Hotel

Hardiman's Hotel, Macaulay Road, Kensington, was formerly the Clarence Hotel, and home of three Hardiman brothers who enlisted in the Great War.   This is one of the sites we will be visiting on tomorrow's heritage walk.

Kevin Hardiman was badly wounded in France in 1917 and had his leg amputated.

Gerald Hardiman was wounded at Lone Pine, and discharged from the AIF in 1916, medically unfit.












The third brother, Robert Vincent Hardiman, who was the manager of the hotel when he enlisted at the age of 23 in 1917, went to Rabaul with the Naval and Military Expeditionary Force.  He was discharged in December 1918 when the AIF was demobilised, and died five months later.

Kensington State School

A vist to the school in 2010 did not produce any information as to whether there was ever an honour board for the pupils of the school who volunteered for the First World War.   The small centenary  history of the school produced in 1981 does not mention a board, nor can any reference be found in the online Argus to indicate that one was installed.  It would be very unusual if an honour board was not installed,  so perhaps one was removed many years ago.  If anyone has any information about such a board, a photograph, or a list of names from the board, please get in touch.

In the meantime I am slowly assembling a list of volunteers from the school who volunteered in the First World War, any additional information is very welcome.

Off to War from Kensington - Autumn Twilight Walk

Friday 11 March  2011, 6.00- 7.30pm

This 90 minute walk is an opportunity for those who are interested in Kensington’s World War One Volunteers. We will look at the homes from which the volunteers came and some of the Post World War One Memorials. For example there were 32 volunteers who enlisted from Bellair Street alone, mostly in 1915 and 1916.

Meet outside the Kensington-Flemington Town Hall, Bellair Street, Kensington at 6.00 pm. Book at Kensington Neighbourhood House 89 McCracken Street, Kensington VIC 3031, Ph: 03 9376 6366, kwgp@vicnet.net.au or via Wayward Books 172 Bellair Street, Kensington VIC 3031. Limited places. Gold coin donation, no charge for children accompanied by an adult.

Tour Leader - Lenore Frost, Creator of the online project
The Empire Called and I Answered -  WW1 Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington

The former Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Kensington

In the 1970s the Holy Trinity church building was sold.  The Honour Board disappeared around this time and probably won't be seen again.  Does anyone have access to any photos or lists of names from that Honour Board?  Please get in touch if you know anything.

UPDATE:  I am compiling a list of volunteers known to have been associated with Holy Trinity.

Great War Honour Boards in Kensington Town Hall

Hello Folks,

There are several World War 1 Honour Boards hanging in the Kensington Town Hall, in the upstairs area which has now been boarded off  for safety reasons.  I was unable to get a photograph of these boards before access was closed.  I have been unable to track down any photos through the Moonee Valley Council, Melbourne City Council, Australian War Memorial, RSL, or by relentless Googling.

Is is possible that anyone may have taken a photo of these boards - even accidentally at a 21st birthday party - that I could use to extract names for my database of Essendon and Flemington volunteers, and/or use to illustrate my website? 

The Moonee Valley Council did have the boards photographed to record their Community Art Collection, but the thumbnails used on the website are too small to read, and they cannot now locate the original photos. 

 Source:  Moonee Valley Council website - Arts and Culture - Community Art Collection: If you click on the image you can see the whole thing

The boards originated with various Friendly Societies, and two commemorating the Great War are from the PAFS (Protestant Alliance Friendly Society) and ANA (Australian Natives Association).

Another source of the same information might be a pamphlet printed for the unveiling of the boards, should anyone have one in a bottom drawer.

I would be very grateful if someone could come up with some photos or the information contained on the boards.