168 Napier Street, Fitzroy

The two houses in this first recent picture, numbered 166 (right) and 168 (left) were built prior to 1865. The house number at the time of the 1865 Sands & MacDougall Directories was 114. By January 1869, the number had changed to 152 and between 1890 and 1895 changed again to 168 Napier Street.

In 1865-1873, a Mrs Sarah Martin, a nurse, was residing here, likely with her daughters after her husband Elisha Martin of Helston, Cornwall had passed in 1854. He was a carpenter and had moved with his wife and three girls to Australia arriving on 17 July 1853 on Harpley. Sarah and Elisha had children Emma, Sarah (wife of Daniel Hutchinson, Chemist, of Parramatta), Laura Ursula (wife of Samuel Clay, Butcher) and Charles (born in Australia). It looks like Sarah may have had siblings William and Mary Ann living nearby.

Sarah (also known as Sally) had married Elisha in 1843 and they lived in Shoreditch in 1851, he was 44 and she was 35. Emma (Emily) was 6 and Sarah was 3. John Moyle lodged with them (presumably her younger brother aged 30), reference: 1851 Census. From the records it appears that Elisha may have married previously, but I haven’t confirmed this.

In Jan 1866, Emma, their eldest daughter married Joseph Snadden, second son of John M Snadden. John M Snadden ran the Bucks Head Hotel on the corner of Charles St and Napier St. John was from Alloa, Stirlingshire. Joseph was a iron moulder.

In October 1866, it appears that Sarah Martin may have become insolvent as a result of “Adverse judgement in the supreme court in an action of ejectment at the suit of John Wm. Thurland and Frances Hodgson, and from inability to pay the amount of taxed costs. Liabilities 75l 5s; assets, 5l; deficiency 70l 5s. Mr Goodman, official assignee.” I cannot find much on this and it needs further research.

June 1870: “On the 24th ult., at the residence of the bride’s mother, 152 Napier Street, Fitzroy, by the Rev. Mr Hamilton, Lemuel Clay, of Carlton, elder son of Samuel Clay of Richmond, to Laura Ursula Martin, youngest daughter of the late Mr Elisha Martin, of Fitzroy”

In November 1872, Sarah finalises her final will leaving her estate to her son and daughters (Probate Records)

Then in Jan 1873, Mrs S Martin passed away with the funeral leaving her home here. She was aged 55 years.

1875-1880 – Leonard Grimwood

1885 – No one is recorded at 152.

In April 1888, an advert ran looking for good machinists to make canvas shoes, to meet outside of 152 by H Hyams.

1890 – A Manachi

In 1892 the house was advertised for rent as a 5 roomed brick house, gas, bath, near Town Hall; rent moderate.

1895 – Frederick Barley

In January 1895, the owners advertised to buy a Hawkers Fruit Truck.

In June 1895, a rental room was advertised: “Comfortable furnished room, suit married couple or friends, 4s.: single, 2s 6d” and in November, the front room was advertised for a “lady at business : 3s.”.

The house was advertised again for full rental in May 1896, April 1897, March 1898, July 1899, October 1899, July 1900, March 1901, July 1902, December 1902

1900 – Henry Bryan

Room advertised in 1904.

1905 – Mrs Margaret Butt

1910 – Thomas McRae

1915 – Mrs A E Murphy

1920 – Miss Catherine Fleming

This image (below in 1921) is of the road construction of Napier Street, looking south. You can see 168 Napier Street to the left, which is the two story building. Immediately below this image is the same streetscape today. You can see the buildings on the right had been removed in the 1969 for the housing commission building of Atherton Gardens.

1925 – Miss H Chemmings

1930 – Mrs Alice Benson

Some time around the 1920s it appears that 166 the short building was merged with the empty block of land to its south. According to a resident in the area, the land here originally was to be a school which was never built. The blocks 166 (and the land) was merged with 168 and 39 Charles Street. It appears they were likely used as a boarding house. A taxi driver informed that when he was a child in the 1950s/1960s his father had boarded in the front room at 168 Napier Street. It would be good to research this house further.

Emily May Thompson

In October 1941, Emily May Thompson wife of Robert and loving mother of Jim, Mary, Laura Elizabeth (born in Ballarat in 1910 and died 1962 as Laura Elizabeth Norman) and Bob (Wh Robert Thomson born in Ballarat in 1909 and died , aged 53 passed away. She is buried in Fawkner Memorial Park.

Emily May appears to have been born Emma Beard, her father was William Beard and her mother was Jane Osborne. If this was a Boarding house – it may fit with Emily’s situation.. On 9 Nov 1932, there was an article in the Sunraysia Daily called “Ballarat Miner Committed for Trial”. This tells the story of Robert Thompson, 54, a miner who was married to Emily May on 13 June 1908 in Ballarat. After six years residence in Ballarat East they moved to Yarraville. She separated from Thompson because he could not keep her and had not seen him for 10 years (so since 1922). The matter came to a head because Robert Thompson had remarried to Margaret Smith Diwell on 30 July 1932. He was committed for trial at the Supreme Court on December 13.

At the trial, Thompson pleaded guilty but that he thought he was allowed to remarry after seven years. Justice Wasley said Thompson should not be sent to gaol, so released him on a bond and told him not to do it again, which caused laughter in the court. (The Argus, 14 Dec 1932). Robert, had been living with Margaret for 10 years and they had four living children. Apparently Robert had known his wife was alive, but had wanted to give his children a name (The Age, 9 Nov 1932)

It appears that Emily (Emma) may have lived in Boarding houses in Yarraville, Carlton and then Fitzroy.

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166 Napier Street was separated again and on-sold, almost definitely by the 1970s. 168 Napier St and 39 Charles Street remained as one until later (maybe the 1980s?).

166 Napier Street retained its internal heritage features right down to tap ware in the back bathroom until demolition of the house behind its facade in 2005/06. At the same time, the owner built the current 2-storey ‘new build’ – 164 Napier Street on its south where the garden/empty block was.

168 Napier Street retains some original internal features such as the hand-thrown cornices in front room, its stairway and the fireplace surrounds in upstairs front room