Noted: Four Historical Australians Connected

Occasionally, little pieces of historical gold are found in places unexpected. Such was the case recently when I went back on my promise to myself to cease further researching my already-written-and-currently-with-the-editor book about David Syme’s mausoleum and spiritual beliefs.

On learning that there was a folder in the Melbourne Uni Special Collections archive titled “Inskip and Butler”, of course I had to see it.

Walter Butler was the (co)architect of Syme’s tomb and I had already been looking at the period prior to him forming his next, new partnership with Royston Bradshaw. The file is a part of the archive of the Monier Pipeline Company, which bore no obvious connection to the Syme mausoleum otherwise. Would inspecting this file be worthwhile?

Butler’s second professional partnership was with George Inskip, and birthed wonders such as the oldest purpose built Greek Orthodox Church in Victoria.

The events leading up to their acrimonious dissolution are detailed in my book. It centres around a scandal connected to a competition also involving David Syme that temporarily affected Butler’s career and potentially may have contributed to the mistaken attribution of Syme’s tomb years later.

Directly after the Inskip separation Butler worked for a short time solo (his edits on the Billilla Mansion in Brighton being one instance) as the nascent partnership with Bradshaw was developing. One of the first of many notable buildings the partnership would produce was David Syme’s mausoleum, with the Wangaratta Cathedral soon to follow.

The file I was to view is part of the significant collection of papers of architect Professor Miles Lewis, deposited at Melbourne Uni. The Monier Pipeline Company was one of the first to utilise the then newly discovered material cement, resulting in a very successful business indeed.

John Monash – later General Sir John Monash  – founded this company along with builder and quarry owner David Mitchell, and chemist John Gibson.

Monash was of Jewish descent and became a hero in newly Federated Australia for his significant role in the army during WWI.

David Mitchell (1829 - 1916) was already known to me as an associate of Syme’s. A Scottish Australian like Syme and arriving in Melbourne the same year that Syme did, he was a prolific colonial and post Federation builder who owned quarries and land in the Yarra Ranges.

He and Syme worked hard to get the rail line to extend to Lilydale, Syme having multiple properties in the region[1], including Belleville for his son Arthur and Tarrawarra for daughter Lucie.

Mitchell is better known as the father of opera megastar Dame Nellie Melba.

I found a note dated August 17, 1904, which speaks to the genesis of the introduction of Butler to Syme, which came via the intermediary of Mitchell. It also speaks to Butler telling the truth in his affidavit[2] of October that year when in an attempt to clear his name in relation to the aforementioned competition scandal he stated he had not actually met David Syme.

Written by Monash himself to Butler, the note[3] reads:

“Mr D. Mitchell called and said he had seen Mr Syme of “Age” Office who has some buildings in prospect. Mr D. Mitchell promised Mr Syme that you would go around with books etc to see him and explain matters in detail. No definite appointment made.

  John

P.S. Mr. Mitchell says the architect is half inclined to favour Monier (Mr Butler. Arch)"

Butler and Inskip were already working with Monier Pipeline, hence the familiarity in the tone of the note. The P.S. is either a less than subtle “suggestion” that Butler favour Monash’s company should the introduction to Syme bear fruit, or it indicates that Mitchell had already hinted to Syme that Butler used Monier's services already.

Regardless, the note is historically important for another reason: it must be surmised that one of the buildings referred to in the note would in fact turn out to be the mausoleum at Kew[4]: Syme’s death was less than four years away.

One of the joys of writing the book has been discovering moments like these. Who would have thought a small, otherwise insignificant piece of paper like this would hold so much history with the four personages that it pertains to?

More stories like this can be found in my book The King Of Melbourne [The Spiritual Life of David Syme, His Newspaper: The Age, and the Legacy of His Monumental Tomb] published later this year.

My thanks to the staff of the University of Melbourne who have assisted my research at Baillieu Library Special Collections, for their friendliness, professionalism and assistance.

[1] Further discussed in Part One of my book, as well as in Part Two where David Syme’s statue in the Yarra Valley is examined

[2] Public Records Of Victoria VPRS 267/P0007, 1904/723

[3] Note to Walter Butler from (General Sir) John Monash, files of Reinforced Concrete and Monier Pipe Construction Ltd; Folder 372 (Inskip and Butler) 64:12, Box 40 (370 – 382). Papers of Professor Miles Lewis; UMA-SR-000001025 Job Files of the Reinforced Concrete and Monier Pipe Construction Co. Pty Ltd; Volume/Box1964.0012 Unit 0040; Collection Name/Location U48/10

[4] Besides Melbourne Mansions – the building at the centre of the competition scandal – the mausoleum appears to be the only other structure that Butler would make for David or any other Syme.