By CASEY NEILL
MAX Anstis was a Springvale pioneer, providing electricity to the outlying Springvale South, Noble Park and Keysborough districts post-World War II.
Wife Margaret said he ran power lines to farms, new homes and factories, provided sports ground lighting for the former Springvale Council, did the electrical work for the original Noble Park Swimming Pool in 1963, and wired Melbourne’s first motel, on Princes Highway in Oakleigh.
“Max just loved his tools, and being an electrician,” Mrs Anstis said.
“His tools were always ready for work, even after he finally – and reluctantly – retired.
“His electrician’s licence, numbered 3014, is current to July 2015.”
Mr Anstis passed away on 2 July, aged 84, and on 9 July more than 200 people attended his funeral at St Columbus Uniting Church, Noble Park, where he was a devoted attendant for many years.
Mrs Anstis said his life could be summed up as “electrician, family man and church member – all equal – but also an active community member”.
“The outcome is one very busy and productive life,” she said.
Mr Anstis was born in Springvale Hospital on 11 July 1928 to Alf and Janet Anstis, who lived in View Road, Springvale, at Alf’s dad’s poultry farm.
Alf was an early entrepreneur and in 1935 moved to a two acre poultry farm on Springvale Road where he erected the suburb’s first neon sign in the front yard – an egg with a chick on top.
“Max, his mother, and his sisters Elaine and Elva used to help with turning the eggs over regularly in the big incubators,” Mrs Anstis said.
Mr Anstis went to Springvale Primary School and Hughesdale and Caulfield technical schools, but left school at 14 and took a job in a grocery shop.
Watching an electrician working on his father’s poultry sheds and buildings sparked his interest in the trade.
He worked for several electrical contractors and attended night school to make up the schooling he missed before starting his own business.
He married Margaret in 1954 and with help built their family home in Heatherton Road, Noble Park.
His business flourished with electricity being supplied to Keysborough and beyond to poultry farms and market gardens.
“We made many good friends with these people, as their work became easier once Max and his workers had wired up their sheds and machinery,” Mrs Anstis said.
Notable jobs included switchboards for the Australian Antarctic Base at Casey and the Wilsons Promontory lighthouse, power lines at HMAS Cerberus, and lighting works at the MCG and Etihad Stadium.
“He also moved the power lines off the poles and onto the facades of the buildings along Springvale Road in Springvale, part of the council’s improvement works for the area,” Mrs Anstis said.
City of Greater Dandenong councillor Roz Blades said Mr Anstis was a stalwart of the region.
“The community will really miss him,” she said.
“We were just really lucky to have someone like him in our city.
“He was a very generous and caring man.”
A tribute from Springvale Benevolent Society said he’d served more than 30 years as a very dedicated volunteer.
“Max will be sadly missed by all his friends at the society,” it said.
Son Phillip Anstis said these tributes were “a great mark of respect of dad’s career and community involvement”.
“Dad would visit members of the community who were doing it a bit tough and provide vouchers and food parcels for them and some friendly advice,” he said.
“Dad was actively serving the community in this capacity right up until his admission to hospital.”
