55 John Street | Gun Alley Stories Lilydale Historical SocietyMax Sheldrake2023-10-26T16:48:52+11:00
55 John St Stories
Gun Alley Stories
Introduction
While Bob and Dorothy Holt, were looking to establish a business and buy a home closer to schools for their children, they and their partners – the Twists and the Masseys – had enough of a vision to see past the unkept, overgrown, odd-shaped block of land right next to the Olinda Creek.
It wasn’t too long before the Shire of Lillydale and the Holts were negotiating over the land, as in Bob’s words, no-one knew who owned what. Eventually, a deal was struck with land added and subtracted to create the site Lilydale Brake Service has today.
While they may not have known it at the time, the Holts were the first to start the transformation of Gun Alley from a dead end street and unmade road with old homes to a service industry section of Lilydale on a busy sealed, through road.
The Holts were the first and others soon followed. Properties were bought, the homes bulldozed and factories and workshops erected.
Audio introduction
Throughout the Gun Alley pages you will see references in old articles to £ (pounds). £1 = $2; 10/- (10 shillings) = $1; 5/- (5 shillings) = 50 cents. Please note: this does not reflect the value of the money but serves as an indication only.
Using the map:
- Click on the map icons for a brief overview of each location’s historical significance.
- To read the location’s associated Gun Alley Stories, click on ‘More Details’ in the icons pop-up window.
- You can also click and drag to move around the map and use the + and – buttons on the right to zoom in and out.
Timelines
William Hutchinson & Louis Deschamp
Robert Black (24/11/1880 – 8/9/1890)
William Louis Scott (8/9/1890 – 4/6/1903)
Julia Briers (4/6/1903 – 30/11/1948)
Henry Wilfred Briers (as executor) (30/11/1948 – 7/11/1949 Contract of Sale transfer 7/2/1957)
Harold Bernard Briggs & Clara Lillian Briggs (7/2/1957 – 28/3/1957 contract of sale transfer 26/6/1959)
Francesco Silipaigni (26/6/1959 – 14/5/1962)
Edmund & Lucy Innberg (14/5/1962 – 7/5/1963)
Raymond Clifford Turnley (7/5/1963 – 26/6/1964)
Walter & Rita Olive Massey, June Althea Twisk and Dorothy Elizabeth & Robert Bertram Holt (26/6/1964 –
William Hutchinson & Louis Deschamp
On November 11, 1880 William Hutchinson & Louis Deschamp sold three lots of the Olinda Estate to Robert Black – namely 10, 11 and 12 block 1 plus Lot 3 block 1 which faced Main Street for £80.
Robert Black
Robert Black owned the property from November 24, 1880 until September 8, 1890 when he sold it to William Louis Scott.
William Louis Scott
William Louis Scott purchased the property from Robert Black for £40 on September 9, 1890 while one of his children Mary Beddoe purchased the adjoining lot also from Robert Black on September 6, 1890.
William Scott was a bootmaker and married to Mary Grey. He was an early resident of Lilydale and had established a shop with premises in Lilydale by 1872. Initially he rented the property from Henry Perrin and later from John Hutchinson.
After the subdivision o