What\’s in a name
What’s In A Name delves into the fascinating stories and personalities behind some of the city’s best known street names. This week the Journal looks at Bennet Street, named after early Melbourne pioneer Thomas Knight Bennet, whose butchery business was so successful it received a Royal seal of approval.
THOMAS Knight Bennet was born in Chatham, Kent, England, in 1830 and arrived in Victoria aboard the sailing ship Surrey in September 1853 with his business partner, a Mr Easton.
The men continued their business partnership once in Melbourne, opening butchers shops in Little Collins Street and Bourke Street under the name of Easton and Bennet.
In 1860 Mr Easton returned to England and Mr Bennet carried on the business and the firm became T K Bennet and Co.
Thomas Bennet quickly become one of the colony’s leading business figures not least because his spiced canned beef and canned sheep’s tongues were deemed delicious by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.
Advertising from the era shows the meat being promoted by “Royal appointment“.
Bennet was a keen promoters of the Metropolitan Meat Market and of the meat preserving industry, securing lucrative contracts with the French Government for the supply of meat to New Caledonia.
For many years he was a member of the committee and a trustee of the Benevolent Asylum.
Mr Bennet was one of the earliest Justices of the Peace in Victoria and was a regular member of the bench at the City Court.
It seems Thomas Bennet was also a shrewed investor, buying up large tracts of land including property along what is now Bennet Street in Dandenong.
In 1886 Mr Bennet subdivived his 67 acres in Dandenong.
Advertisements from the time proclaim that the Kent Estate would be subdivided into “53 choice villas and business sites“.
Each lot was to average over one and a quarter acres in size.
“Augustus Rodd, under instructions from the owner, Thomas Knight Bennet, Esq, of Melbourne will sell by Public Auction, on the Ground at Two o’clock pm on Saturday, 4th December, 1886, the above Estate which has been SUB DIVIDED into 53 Choice Villa and Business Allotments.“
Thomas Knight Bennet died on 16 November 1918 at his home in Punt Road, Prahran.
Want to know the history behind a street name in Greater Dandenong or the City of Casey. Let us know and we’ll find out! Email journal@starnewsgroup.com.au
– Information courtesy the Dandenong and District Historical Society
