Rye Cemetery and Memorial Gardens - Individuals History

ARMSTRONG, Bruce and Ella

Moved to Rye in April 1937 to take a lease on the Rye Pier Store which was then owned by Stringers of Sorrento. There had been many different ones who had managed the store as it was the original one in Rye. Bruce became an agent for Atlantic Oil and had two petrol bowsers installed outside. He was a member of the cricket team which won the premiership in 1937/8.

A member of the Portsea Golf Club, he won the Nepean Cup one year. When Ebenezer and Frieda Reid took over the lease of the store, the Armstrongs moved to the Post Office when Ella was Postmistress for several years.

During this time Bruce purchased a second hand trailer truck and worked in conjunction with Bert Dark who had a tip truck and carted sand etc locally. During the war the trucks were powered by gas producers. Charcoal was used instead of petrol but one had to be careful to not look too closely to see if it was alight as hair and eyebrows were singed easily. In 1946 Bruce and Ella built a cream brick house behind the Pier Store. They were members of the Macdonald’s 9 hole golf course.

Bruce also built tennis courts behind Cora Lynn Café near Weir Street but they were not successful and the land was eventually sold. The carting business prospered to be known as T B Armstrong Motors.

It amalgamated with Jack White of Sorrento in 1952 to become Southern Peninsula Transport Service. An office was built on the corner of Napier and Collingwood Streets opposite the Dark residence where the Bowls Club is. As the business grew, a truck depot was built in Rosebud.

BARRY, Richard

Richard Barry was only 18 years old when he drowned in Port Phillip on the 26th May, 1869 after the boat he was aboard capsized after being struck by a violent westerly squall after dark.

The next day his body was found by Michael Cain, son of Owen Cain, washed ashore about 2km east of Rye.

After a Coroner’s Inquiry, Michael made a coffin, dug a grave and constructed a headstone from the sandstone at White Cliffs.

He was noted as being a stonemason, working at the Quarantine Station.

[Refer also to the entry for WEE, Patrick, on page 14.]

BENNETT, Eliza Jane

Eliza Jane was the fourth daughter of Thomas and Eliza Bennett. Thomas built a lime kiln in Rye during 1854 and George Spunner burnt lime for him for some years.

After this kiln was purchased by William Allison Blair in 1867, Thomas Bennett went to Melbourne, where he delivered lime to building sites for many years.

This grave, which is the oldest recorded grave in the cemetery, is a sad reminder of their days at Rye.

Eliza was only 8 months old when she died on the 29th January, 1854.

Michael Cain made Eliza’s coffin. The inscription reads “Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not”.

CAMPBELL, Jack and Molly

Jack was the grandson of John Campbell, builder of the first Rye Hotel between Lyons and Napier Streets in the 1860s. He was also the builder of the first Rye pier in 1860. Jack’s father also John married Ada Myers, but he was killed in an accident in New Zealand. Ada later married Bill Moat. Jack and Molly built their home in the area now part of the school ground, of cement bricks, many made by Molly while Jack was away during WW2. Jack worked for Sonny Waddell and Keith Moat in their Peninsula Paving business, often making stone walls for residents’ gardens. Molly ran the milk bar at the Pier Store for some years.

CRISPO, Sidney

Sidney Smith Crispo was the son of John Crispo R.N.

Sidney was on the staff of the Victorian Naval Survey.

In 1871 he was a squatter near Benalla but it is likely that he moved to the Rosebud West area soon after, having obtained a grant of 282 acres which he named "Eastbourne". He also selected land on the western corner of Canterbury Jetty and Point Nepean Roads. He built a pier of ti-tree for Owen Cain, to transport lime and ti-tree; it was a rather flimsy thing, notorious for swaying with the waves but it did last around 5 years.

Newspaper article detailing local concerts indicate he enjoyed singing and had a lovely voice.

Sidney was a most innovative man and prolific writer to newspapers and interested in current affairs.

One of his ideas was to amalgamate rather than to federate the colonies, which, if adopted, would have prevented the wasteful duplication that is a major criticism of the Australian political system.

Another idea was to shorten the time it took to travel to Melbourne. His idea involved large arms being set at main points around the bay so that a person could step onto a platform then be swung in an arc across the bay to the next platform until arrival in Melbourne.

Sidney died at the home of Edward Williams, to whom he had recently sold "Eastbourne". He died on 13-10-1899 at the age of 71.

DARK, Bert and Eleanor (Lena)

Lived on corner of Napier and Collingwood Streets. Bert had the carrying business with Bruce Armstrong and also Jack White of Sorrento - called SPTS. Lena was the daughter of Jim Cain and Catherine known as Kitty, Campbell thus a part of the pioneer Cain family. Kitty Campbell was the daughter of John Campbell who built the first hotel called the Rye, between Lyons and Napier Streets, and also the first pier in 1860.

DAY, Blanche

The long time well-loved infant teacher at Rye Primary School, many Rye families were taught by her in the 50s, 60s and 70s. She lived well into her 90s. Her husband Ted was a mechanic and they lived on Point Nepean Road in Tootgarook.

HAYTER, Lew and Amy

Rye was developing after WW2 and another of the families to initiate progress was the Hayters. In October 1950, Lew and Amy purchased the Rye Store at the eastern end of the town from twins Robert (Bomber) and Ernie Waugh. Together with Bill Harris, a Changi survivor and stalwart of the RSL, they bought the unofficial Post Office on the west corner of Lyons Street. The Hayters ran the store while Bill ran the Post Office.

Both Hayters were energetic in developing organisations in the Rye community over many years - the school, the Presbyterian Church, the CWA, Progress Association, Scouts and Guides. Lew would drive boys interested in joining Cubs to Rosebud each week and when a Pack was formed in Rye, Lew was its leader.

His involvement in scouting lasted more than 50 years, he eventually became Flinders District Executive Chair, and he and Amy were on the committee that raised money for the building of the Rye Scout and Guide Hall in 1956.

Both were stalwarts of the Presbyterian Church where Lew was an elder for 30 years, Session Clerk for 21 years and Superintendent of the Sunday School since its inception in 1950. Amy was a member of the Ladies Guild from 1951 onward serving time as President. She was a wonderful cook and a great supporter of people in need, no matter who they were. The store was sold in 1959 giving them time for community activities and their passion for travel around Australia.

HEMINGWAY, Jack and Vi

Jack was a member of the original member of the Southern Peninsula Community Fund and great helper and supporter of people in need. He was an original member of the Rye Bowls Club. His wife Vi was organist in the Presbyterian Church for many years.

HILL, Bill and Maude

Bill Hill was born and grew up in ‘Lavender Cottage’ the Hill family home near St John’s Wood Road, Canterbury.

He worked as a grocer for his uncle in Sorrento.

Enlisting in Melbourne in July 1916, after training in Seymour he was placed in the 8th Light Horse. He stated his age as 18 years and one month, when he was only 16 and had his 17th birthday aboard the troopship Hymettus, disembarking at Suez in October 1916. He did not see any action, much of his time was spent in hospitals and rest camps around the Middle East. He suffered from pneumonia, septic sores, and various infections.

Returning to Melbourne in August 1919 he married Maude Tyler, the sister of well known Vic Tyler. At first they lived in the old house on the farm owned by John Cain. There were many snakes around - Maude going out the front door found a snake between her and the pram. She ran out the back to get a stick to kill it, saw another and killed it before going back to kill the first one. They later moved to their home in Weeroona Street.

Billy, as he was known, worked for the Flinders Shire for many years. He drove a monkey tail scoop drawn by three horses. As the years went by he eventually mounted a huge grader, and was now called Old Bill. During WW2 he drove a grader for Tom Maw who had construction contracts from the Council.

Bill explained that about 40 or 50 horses were used on road jobs in the 1920s. The metal was crushed above The Rocks (Anthony’s Nose) at Dromana, shot over the cliff in a chute, then brought down to Rye in drays, each man driving one horse and leading another. The top course for the road was the limestone screenings left over from the many lime kilns in the area, which of course is part of Rye’s early history.

JENNINGS, Claude and Ann

Claude was the grandson of the original Jennings who came to Rye in 1914 to grow onions. Claude’s father Ern had bought a milk round from Bob Rowley in 1927, and run by his three sons, while his daughter Hannah delivered milk in a horse and cart from Tootgarook to Hughes Road in Sorrento.

The Rye Dairy was built in 1938 and in 1960 Claude bought the Rye Dairy from Bill. He ran this with his wife and sons Ern and Dennis until 1974 when he sold to his brother Jack in Rosebud.

Ann Hall came to Rye to visit friends in 1934 and while here she was talked into buying a mixed business as they wanted to leave, so with the help of her mother and grandmother they ran Hall’s Store and lived behind. At that time there was only the hotel, Pier Store, Butcher’s shop, garage and post office. In February 1935 Ann married Claude Jennings and they ran the business as C E Jennings Grocer until 1938.

MACDONALD, Jack

The Macdonald family came to Rye in the 1920s and lived in the house now 20 Athol Court, just off Napier Street. John Macdonald and his two sons Jack and Max developed the 9 holes Rye Golf Course in the 1930s. It was directly south of the town bordered by Golf Parade and Dundas Street. The first tee was beside St Andrew’s Church and the ninth hole was on the hill opposite the first tee, giving a gentle walk down to the next tee when playing 18 holes. All holes ran north and south except the par 3 fifth which was the turning hole, that green being on the corner of Pier and Dundas Streets. Closed for the duration of the war the course re-opened in 1946 but because of the lack of land it was closed in 1951 and subdivided.

The family then formed a company, Ryemetal Forgings, to make plumbers’ fittings. The factory was built at the rear of their property, as there was no Town Planning for Rye, but in 1961/2 the first town plan was produced and the business was asked to move in 1972 because the noise from the one hundred ton drop forge was responsible for an earth shattering crash every five seconds and it also affected the electricity supply to the nearby residents. They sold the business after that and it still functions in Braeside.

Jack and Max were accomplished tennis players, cricketers and golfers (at Portsea Golf Club) all their lives.

MARTIN, Lionel and Iona Estelle

Married in 1919 at Yarram. Lionel had enlisted in the Australian Army in 1916 serving with the 10th Machine Gun Company in England, Egypt, France and Belgium being promoted to Lieutenant in 1917, returning to Australia in 1919. He was a member of the Australian Rules football team to play at the Oval in 1916. Moving to Rye in 1927 to take up the position of Headmaster, when in 1935 he transferred to Sorrento. They built the family home ‘Romany’ on Point Nepean Road two doors down from the Headmaster’s residence in 1930. He retired from Brighton Road State School at the age of 65, then after three months re-applied as a class teacher at Rye which he held until he was 70. He and his wife and family of two daughters and one son were fully involved in the Rye Community. He was Captain of the Rye Cricket Club when it won its first premiership in 1929/30 season and the next year. He was goal umpire for the football for many years, secretary of the Foreshore Trust and was responsible for the collection fees from the campers. He was a Foundation Member of the Rye RSL and awarded its first Life Membership. Estelle was very involved with the Mothers’ Club, raising funds for the school, Church of England organist for many years, and a member of the Red Cross. Many families were helped financially through the depression and war years, courtesy of her generosity.

MITCHELL, Hugh and Kate

Hugh came to Rye in the 1930s with his wife and family, firstly camping in the holidays then permanently, and ran a fish and chip shop. His wife died very young leaving four children He later married Kate Foubister, who, with her first husband had run Seaview House, now recently demolished. During WW2, Dutch refugees from the Indonesian Islands were placed there under a Government contract, ending in 1946. Then a guest house, in 1949 the Government approached again to ask that displaced persons from Poland and the Baltic States be taken in. Hugh was a plumber originally with the Railways. Hugh Mitchell was never one to take no for an answer and was instrumental in clearing the land at the Rye Recreation Reserve for a cricket pitch, using dynamite to clear the tea tree, he even managed to get a cheque book from the Shire to pay for a small clubhouse and further carting of rubbish.

MYERS, Crawford (known as Doll)

He was one of six children of the Myers family who came to Rye in 1890 and lived in a house with a wattle and daub kitchen, just down Bowen Street, now part of the school grounds. He was a keen fisherman and lived in Ozone Street over Bimble Street, the house is still there. He made part of his living conveying fishing parties of weekend anglers out in the bay.

The six Myers boys quarried limestone, chopped and loaded wood crafts for Stenniken and worked on the farm on the corner of Truemans and Browns Roads, and all were very keen fishermen.

MYERS, Ernest Samuel Gordon

Ernie Myers is not buried in Rye Cemetery but there is a plaque for him in front of his parents grave in monumental 1, just on the left as you enter the main gates near the office.

Ernie was the only Rye man killed due to action during World War 1. Records show that 25 district men, 4 from Rye township, including Ernie and his brother Robert, signed up and went to the war. Ernie, number 2490, enlisted on 13 July 1915 and died on 16 November 1916 from wounds he suffered at the battle of Pozieres (1st July 1916 - 4th August 1916) where he was a member of the 2nd Pioneers Battalion.

PEERS, Fred and Dorothea

They bought the Ice Works from the Cullivers, who were fishermen. It was situated on the corner of Napier and Nelson Streets - the Rye RSL car park.

The plant was very small and not big enough to make ice for the campers at Christmas time so ice had to be brought down by truck from Melbourne or Dandenong. Long queues used to form reaching down Nelson Street waiting for the truck to arrive.

A couple of years later the ice making plant and machinery was bought from H W Wilson butchers at Sorrento to enlarge the works. It made thirteen tons a day, still not enough! A large freezer was built at the back which held 200 tons which was made and stored from October to Christmas as well as 40 tons in the front freezer. An ice saw was made to cut the hundredweight blocks into four. There was a small door on the side where people could serve themselves and leave money in the honesty box if no-one was home.

Self service machines were installed in about 1960. When crushed ice became more popular, as homes had fridges and foreshore sites were powered, Fred started a wood yard and sold wood, coke, coal and briquettes as well as drums of petrol, diesel and kerosene. Local fishermen earlier used the cool room to store fish before being taken up to the Melbourne market - the fish were iced down in boxes in the evening and left at 5 am with local carrier Bruce Armstrong. Dot Peers was active in the community and associated with the Church of England Guild. They later sold in the 1970s to Bill and Shirley Nation.

PILBEAM, William and Minnie

William was from Rosebud and married Minnie the daughter of Charles Newman a fisherman. The Newmans lived in Napier Street just down near the corner of Bowen Street. From 1924 the Newman family consisting of the father and six sons opened up the fishing industry in Rye. Caught in nets the fish were packed in old time fish baskets and carted to Chinaman’s Creek by Bob Rowley with his jinker and pony, sometimes as many as 10 trips in one night. Left on the side of the road the baskets were taken to Mornington Station by carrier to be transported by train to the market in Melbourne. The other means of transport was by the little steam ship Reliance that called at the Rye Pier.

William Pilbeam described coming to Rye the night before the wedding arriving in July 1925 about 8pm in the pitch dark. He found his future father-in-law near Ozone Street waving a hurricane lamp, there being no electricity, radio or TV. Just post and rail fences and boxthorn hedges.

The reception was held in the Mechanics Hall, which was enclosed by scrub and tea-tree and unseen from the road. They stayed the night with Mr and Mrs Jim Sullivan in ‘Cliff House’ on the corner of Point Nepean Road and Napier Street.

RATTRAY, Walter and Margaret

They came to Rye in 1959 buying the existing timber yard from Jack Woodward. It was situated near the east corner of Point Nepean Road and Dundas Street, extending through to Nelson Street. Rod Walker was a partner also and the business flourished as they opened at weekends - more people were around then as many holiday homes were being established. Another partner was taken in, and in 1963 a hardware shop was built on the front with a driveway along the side.

After a few years the block was not big enough and in the 1970s with Wal Rattray and Rod Walker selling to Thomson Bros the business moved out to the industrial area in Melbourne Road. Margaret Rattray was active in the Rye Tennis Club and Portsea Golf Club, being Secretary of both at different times for some years.

REID, Ebenezer and Frieda

They came to Rye in the 1930s and, together with Cater Pulling, built what was known as Windsor Court in Maori Street (then Thompson’s Lane). It is now a B&B - Plantation House. They made all the bricks by hand. The Reids bought the Pier Store from Bruce and Ella Armstrong in 1940 and later built the house on the hill at the top of Golf Parade (in Golf Lane). That position was used for plane spotting during WW2.

Rowe, Des

Des Rowe was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) between 1946 and 1957 for the Richmond Football Club. He played 175 games and kicked 24 goals. He won the club best and fairest in 1951 and 1956. He was the Richmond captain 1952 to 1957, played 7 interstate games, captained Victoria and was All Australian in 1956. He was senior coach of Richmond from 1961 to 1963 winning a night premiership in 1962.

He beacame a life member in 1955, was in the RFC team of the century and was inducted into the RFC Hall of Fame in 2002.

RENTON, Douglas and Yvonne

Dr Douglas Renton was the first doctor to live in Rye when he and his wife arrived in 1954 and became a partner in the Southern Peninsula Clinic with the Edwards brothers. Doug saw patients in Rosebud, Sorrento and Rye with Rye operating as a branch but gradually was attended more often.

The Rye surgery was opened in 1953 in a little shop between Lyons and Napier Streets where Hugh Mitchell had previously had his fish and chip shop. The Rentons bought land in 1959 on the east corner of Hunt Avenue, but with many problems getting approval it did not open until the 1960/61 season. The hospital was at the far end of Dromana which made it difficult particularly in the season, but with the opening of Rosebud hospital in 1961 it became easier to attend births, for surgery, often acting as anaesthetist for his partners, and visiting patients. He was on continuous call, often coming to homes at night in pyjamas and dressing gown.

He was a quiet man but took his profession seriously. He was clever with his hands, making his own cabin cruiser where he was able to get away from everything for a few hours.

His wife Yvonne was a great support in the background, following up patients whom she knew to be having a bad time. It was a great loss when Doug died suddenly in 1992.

Van NOOTEN, John

He was the Head Teacher from 1921 of the one roomed Rye School when the new room replaced the 1875 wooden building in 1923. While the new one was being built the children were taught in the Rye Mechanics’ Institute - hessian was placed on the floor to prevent the dust rising. With promotion, John moved to Melbourne in 1927 and his place was taken by Lionel Martin. On retirement John and his wife Ella returned to Rye. They were very active in the Presbyterian Church with John being a Member of the Board of Management and later an Elder of the church.

WEE, Patrick

On Boxing Day 1869, Patrick Wee, a Maori fisherman, son of Tamah Wee and Pauline (nee Whatarow), born Auckland NZ and aged 33, together with Richard Barry, Richard Nott, Richard Abbott and Richard Betwright drowned in a boating tragedy about 1km off the Rye jetty.

The four Richards had earlier walked from Point Nepean to Tootgarook (Rye) and Patrick Wee had agreed to take them back to Point Nepean in his boat. Witnesses saw the group leave the Tootgarook Inn at about 5pm. Not long afterwards, a violent westerly squall blew in.

A seaman aboard the schooner “Result”, riding at anchor, heard a call for help and glimpsed a man clinging to an upturned vessel, but weather conditions prevented him from providing any assistance.

Searchers later found the bodies of Richard Barry and Patrick Wee, but no trace of the other three men or of the boat were ever found.

Michael Cain fashioned two coffins, dug the graves and even carved two headstones from sandstone which he had carted from the Rye back beach. [refer also to Richard BARRY]

HILL, George Alexander and Elizabeth

John and Mary Hill emigrated from Belfast, Ireland, in 1860, settling at Kingston, Kangaroo Ground. They had 8 children, which included George Alexander and Robert, who arrived in Rye in their early teens.

In 1891, George married Elizabeth Mercer of Sorrento. They lived for many years in Lavender Cottage, near St Johns Wood Road in the area known as Canterbury, where they raised 12 children.

George worked for John Cain at his lime kiln, then turned to road making with his team of horses. Later again, he turned to wood cutting, loading it onto drays to take to the Rye pier to be shipped to Melbourne to feed the bakers’ ovens.

George’s brother, Robert, became known as the best fencer in the district, and one sister, Helen (Mrs Carleton; later Mrs Thompson) was the midwife in the district for many years.

Two of George’s sons and about 12 grandchildren served in the 2nd AIF, and after the war most of them settled in Rye, becoming Foundation Members of the Rye RSL.

When the football Club formed in 1946, almost half the team were grandsons, and the grand-daughters helped in the canteen.

Members of the family still attend the Rye School.