A letter I received recently from Mrs Betty Keen of Hallam, who now lives in Cornwall Street and formerly lived in Hallam Road for 10 years when the area was then all farming properties, told a story of pride in the progress of the district she calls home, and, where she has made lasting friendships with other residents.
She spoke of the hotel and the bustling supermarket which now dominates the ‘pub’ corner and said in the early days if she predicted the ‘pub corner complex’ they would have sent her to the ‘funny farm’! (her terminology).
When we lived at Lyndhurst, just a stone’s throw away, we often used to ride our pushbikes via Hampton Park to Hallam and back.
I can remember some of the residents who lived in the Hallam district.
They included the Sinclair family and the Anderson family and the late Frank Sinclair was a close friend of my late brother Rowley.
Mrs Keen’s husband died 13 years ago but she derives a great deal of pleasure and love from her 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren… and the birth of her 17th great grandchild is not too far distant.
As the time honoured song goes, “with friends and neighbours you’re the richest woman in town”!
A man of many talents
Dave Johnson Mickle was a man of many interests and talents.
He was the foundation president and first life member of the Dandenong and District Historical Society.
His contribution to the preservation of history in not only Dandenong but Kooweerup and Cranbourne was described as “enormous” by the society.
Not only did he write three books on Kooweerup but his history of The Swamp was such that a local historical society was eventually established in the area.
Mr Mickle also contributed to a history of Tooradin and the first history of the Cranbourne Shire, The Good Country by Neil Gunton.
On 26 June 1963 Mr Mickle attended a meeting at the Dandenong Town Hall to voice his concern that historical information was being lost as there was no society to preserve it.
He became the first president of the society which was formed as a result of that meeting, holding that position for five years.
During his 34 years’ service to the society he held at various times the position of president, treasurer, auditor, research officer, and committee member. There were very few projects undertaken by the society that Mr Mickle was not involved with.
He was also a life member of the Kooweerup Historical Society, and a member of the Cranbourne Historical Society.
Mr Mickle had another great interest in life, that of vintage cars, and he owned and restored a 1927 Buick which he proudly drove in parades and festivals.
On Australia Day 1995 he was honoured by the Dandenong Australia Day Committee as a Dandenong Citizen of the Year.
He was born at Kooweerup, the second son of David and Alice Mickle, and lived there on the family farm for the first 32 years of his life.
Dave and his wife Ethel (nee Brody) shared 68 years of marriage and had two children, David and Margaret.
Their son David still lives in the family home in Herbert Street, Dandenong, and their daughter Margaret Allen in Bundaberg, Queensland.
Mr Mickle had three grandchildren and also great grandchildren.
When I was seconded to the South Eastern Metropolitan Branch of the State Electricity Commission in Dandenong in the 1950s, Mr Mickle was the assistant officer-in-charge and he was very popular.
He retired in March 1967 after 31 years at the commission.
In those days newspapers were considered as not a number one priority and the commission more important so I continued a double role working at the commission in the day and for the Journal on weekends and at night.
I pounded on an old Remington typewriter which I still have.
I can remember Mr Hamilton as being ‘chief’ at the SEC and Mr Westmoreland as office manager.
Mr Mickle’s link with electricity came when the Kooweerup Electric Light and Power Company began operations in July 1927 and he had charge of the powerhouse and electricity supply to Kooweerup and district in 1935.
He worked at Traralgon, Warragul and Trafalgar before going to Dandenong.
He retired in 1967 after 31 years’ service to the commission.
DO YOU HAVE A MILESTONE, MEMORY OR QUESTION FOR MARG?
Email journal@starnewsgroup.com.au or post submissions to A Moment With Marg, c/o The Dandenong Journal, PO Box 9, Pakenham 3810
