By Christine Grayden

OCTOBER is History Month. It is also getting uncomfortably close to the summer holidays and Christmas! 

Today I would like to take you to Churchill Island of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, to glimpse a few fragments of the lives of the Amess families of that period through the words of a few of their visitors over the summer holidays. 

The Amess family kept a Churchill Island visitors’ book, which is full of names of Melbourne’s upper middle class society who, like the Amesses, were on the island seeking respite from ‘Smelbourne’ and the heat, bustle and flies of the Melbourne summer. 

After a short period of languishing following the Rogers’ departure from Churchill Island, the island was purchased in 1872 by Samuel Amess (1826-1898), successful stonemason, councillor, mayor and alderman of the Melbourne City Council. He was the first of three generations of ‘Samuel Amess’ to own the island. He, his wife Jane (1821-1892) and their family and friends escaped there every summer and at other times when they could manage the two-day journey from their home at Number 1 ‘Northumberland Terrace’, on the corner of William and A’Beckett Streets near the Flagstaff Gardens. Both Samuel and Jane Amess resided in that same house most of their lives, and both died there. 

In 1872 on the hill at Churchill Island, Amess built the homestead which is still there, beautifully maintained and interpreted for the later Amess era, and open for visits 364 days a year. In the heritage garden the huge Norfolk Island Pine, known as the ‘Homestead Tree’, was a gift from Baron Ferdinand von Mueller on completion of the homestead. Interestingly, the house is lined with Baltic pine, which Amess had also used in the building of the Kew Lunatic Asylum. Leftovers perhaps?

Although Samuel and Jane continued to holiday on Churchill Island until well on in years, the next phase of Amess ownership of Churchill Island was under ‘Young Samuel’, from 1879 to 1919. All of the family and their friends continued to use Churchill Island as a family gathering place. The Churchill Island hospitality was legendary. 

The visitors’ book records the many visitors coming and going during the times of Samuel and Jane, and then Young Samuel’s ownership, when clearly the tradition of ‘King Sam’s’ hospitality continued. A few entries from 1880s – 1900 period read:

A jolly good time, and didn’t have to pay for it!

And another: 

The abode of Angels – coming back again.

The ‘Maggie’ referred to in many of the entries is Samuel’s and Jane’s daughter Margaret, who never married, and who loved Churchill Island.

Arrived 16th December 1880. I have enjoyed my holiday very much and cannot thank Mother, Father and especially Maggie enough for all their kindness to me and my flock of chickens (his children) who have got amazingly fat since we came down. Left Churchill Island Friday 11/2/81.   

Mr S Amess ...and Family, Albert Park, St Kilda Road.

Reflecting the less formal atmosphere of Young Samuel’s era, Chrissy Amess wrote in 1897:

Leaving after six weeks of most disgraceful conduct – disgracing my family and relations and having a glorious time.

One visitor signing as ‘Lottie Hodgson Herself, 2/4/02’, was among a group who ventured to Cape Woolamai and on returning wrote:

Came here to recoup after Cape Woolamai. The hospitality of the one excels the grandeur of the other. So say all of us. 

The entries also include this jolly clever poem:

Full many’s the sail I sole

And many’s the Drink I drink

And many’s the winning smile I smole

And many’s the wink I wink.

Some entries make us pause and wonder what they got up to on those holidays. John Radcliffe, of North Melbourne, wrote on 15.1.1886.

Enjoyed myself thoroughly, and the greatest curiosity I saw was Maggie Forrester with her head floured.  

In the same vein, Maggie Amess wrote:

Enjoyed myself immensely at Churchill, especially during shell fight at Pickersgill (Point).
Maggie Amess, Albert Park.

In a classic entry, this hotelier wrote: The same old story More prize pigs Happy and Jolly.

John McIlwraith, Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda 5th January 1882. (Relative of Phillip Island’s McIlwraiths, perhaps?)

Reflecting the use of Churchill Island for rest and recuperation, a family member wrote a heartfelt message on 14 January 1882:

Cannot but repeat previous remarks. Everyone very kind. Health and appetite both returned. Spent a very jolly and pleasant time.

James S Amess, Royal Parade, Parkville, Melbourne. Arrived 13/12/81 Departed 14/1/82.

Giving us a glimpse of holiday sporting activities, James Dodgshun, Mayor of Melbourne wrote:

Churchill is a delightful place such a one as the Emperor of Russia would envy. The

kindness of Mr and Mrs Amess and Miss (Margaret) Amess cannot be expressed. Our

enjoyment has been very great and regret that our stay must be so short. My

shooting was very poor only being able to kill when netted. 

James Dodgshun, Mayor of Melbourne. Annie Dodgshun, Twickenham, Richmond.

Other entries from a variety of visitors echo exactly what many modern-era visitors feel:

“I know if there’s peace to be found in the world a heart that is humble may seek for

it here.” Churchill 24.12.82

Helen M H Gilay, Gladsmuir, Victoria Parade.

Have seen the Old Year out and the New Year In at Churchill and now think that if

always spent on the island, life would really be worth living.

“The isle is more fair than words can say

“A sweet little Eden on earth bright as day.”

Arrived at Churchill Island on Tuesday January 8th 1889 in company with Tom Halliday without any accident – had a good dinner then a sleep in fact filled ourselves that much that we could not move and after spending the evening at cards went to bunk. Got wakened up by the Boss next morning and spent the next two days in fishing and shooting, also feeding until it was time for us to leave the island for the

benefit of all concerned. 

S Stuart Amess; Thomas Halliday. 10.1.1889

So, with the holidays coming up fast, it’s time to organise your visitors’ book to make a record of your holidays for generations to come. Ask your visitors to write something of themselves, maybe even add a sketch or two. Just like John Roger’s farming diary and the Amess’s visitors’ book we just never know when our record of our personal history is going to emerge as being important for your family, friends - and to historians like me!