James & Johanna Costigan & Family, by Eileen Costigan

James Costigan:

James, most often called Jim, was the elder son of Daniel and Anne Costigan (“Anne Doyle from Aberfoyle” she often called herself). He was born and grew up on a small farm at Bald Hill, South Muckleford near Castlemaine. His name is in the baptism register at St. Mary’s, Castlemaine, dated January, 1869, with sponsors John Scully and Catherine Farrell.

As a young man he worked on farms and became a member of a group who worked a steam-driven threshing machine, and he travelled with this team of workers from farm to farm at harvest time.

In the early 1890’s the Costigans came to Melbourne – several of the girls had already come and were working as servants in various places. One of Anne’s sisters, Margaret, was married to a German named Streil (?), and lived in Separation Street, Northcote, the husband working at the brick kilns. They had no children, and the young Costigan girls would spend their time with Aunt Streil (in those days aunts were always known by their surnames.). There, Annie Costigan, the eldest, met and married another German, Bernard Eilers, a bootmaker.

It was to Northcote that the Costigans came to take a shop in High Street, the second shop from the corner of Mitchell Street – in recent years a pet shop. There they ran a butter-shop (or ‘deli’) and, as well, a butter round. James did the bulk of the round work, though the mother, Anne, also took a hand in this. Mary (Eileen’s eldest sister) used to tell the tale that, later on when our family was living in Gower Street, Grandma Costigan would call at our place on her way home from her round – she and Grandfather were by then living on a small farm in Princess St. (now Chifley Drive) between Bell Street and Dundas Street. However, on a very dark, wet night she called in – our mother always had a good hot stew ready – and Grandma was laughing. A policeman had stopped her along the way and asked where her lights were, and she had replied “Next to my liver!” and he had laughed and let her go with a caution! When the Costigans first came to Northcote, Preston and Northcote were part of Clifton Hill parish , so that the young folk got to know the Sullivans and the Preston Irish people. Many a trip, on foot, was made by the young ones to St. John’s to dances – walking along High Street, up Ruckers Hill, and eventually home to Preston – and at very late hours of the night. One of the hazards was the passing of the “night carts” toiling slowly up the hill. (Oh! The smell!!)

Young Jim was a fine figure of a man – rather good-looking – and he began to court Johanna Sullivan. He played cricket and football, was a member of the early C.Y.M.S. (Catholic Young Men’s Society), and given to learning and reciting poetry – Adam Lindsay Gordon, Banjo Patterson and others.

On October 24th, 1894, the young couple married in the newly erected Sacred Heart Church – not the first couple to do this because a couple was quietly married in that church the night before! They lived in various rented houses in Northcote and in a shop in Rae St., Fitzroy, before moving to the farm at Gower St., Preston. James was a kind and gentle man, quietly spoken, very devout in his religious practices, a great man for the rosary – in fact, when driving home in the evenings after his days on the round with the butter, eggs etc., he could be heard above the clip-clop of the horse coming down Gower Street saying his rosary and other prayers. I have one memory of his speaking severely to me. We were playing in the yard outside the butter room and I used a “bad” word – I’ve forgotten what – and he came out with such a look of shocked astonishment on his face and spoke of his horror at hearing “his little Eileen” using such a word- all very quietly spoken – but I have never forgotten the incident.

He dearly loved a game of cards, and had taught me how to play crib long before I started school. Later he would get either Kathleen or myself to do the bills for him each month – the monthly payers and the various religious houses that he served – the Palace at the Cathedral, St. Pat’s College, St. Ignatius, St. James and so on.

On Saturday afternoons in the summertime he umpired cricket matches in either our bottom paddock or in Healy’s paddock. At the height of the season he loved to go to the M.C.G. to a Shield match or a Test match. Sometimes he would take one or other of us little girls with him on “the hill”.

When at last we had to leave the farm – Grandfather had died and the farm was to be sold – we went to live in Northcote at 11 South Crescent, Westgarth. There he had only one horse at a time. His Saturday and Sunday afternoons were usually spent visiting the sick at either the Austin or Melbourne hospitals.

Then came 1937. An Australia v England Test match was on at the M.C.G. In those days our Uncle Tim (later Dean O’Sullivan of Kyneton) was a member of the M.C.C. and, as such, was issued two ladies’ tickets each year. He always gave these two tickets to Mary, so two of us girls made good use of them whenever there was cricket at the M.C.G.. That year Mary and I had been at the match one day, and on the Monday Monica and Winnie were there (with 87,796 other cricket fans) to watch what was to be one of Bradman’s greatest innings – Kathleen was working in the telephone exchange. Dad had been to the cricket on New Year’s Day, and was to do his round on the Monday, the 4th.. Mary and I did the washing in the morning, Dad did various jobs as usual and had an early lunch, and off he went in the cart about 12.30. About 20 minutes later there was a knock on the front door. I answered it and on opening the door saw a Chinese gentleman waiting to tell us that Dad had had a bad turn in the bank on the corner of High and Candy Streets. He was in the bank at the time and knew who Dad was and where he lived. He and his father had a tailoring business in High Street. I ran down the hall, told Mother and Mary who were having lunch and raced on out the back way and along Candy Street to the bank.

The bank men had got Dad lying on a seat when I arrived. He knew me and said, “Oh Eileen, I’m so cold!” It was a rather hot January day. The Chinese gentleman had his car outside the bank and between us -the Manager helping – we got Dad into the car. I suggested that we take him in the back way to the sleepout as there was a bed just inside the door. We laid Dad on the bed, rang the Presbytery and Dr. Horgan (although we had been living in Northcote for nearly ten years, we still had Dr. Horgan as our doctor). Fr. Twomey, the curate at St. Joseph’s came and anointed Dad, and within a very short time, he died. Dr. Horgan arrived and was able to give a death certificate as, it appears, Dad had consulted him only a week or so earlier when he had had a slight turn while doing his round in Preston. Dad had not mentioned this to anyone. (It’s thought that Jim Costigan had very high blood pressure and died of a cerebral haemorrhage.)

Needless to say we were all stunned. We knew Frank was at the cricket, so I rang the M.C.C. and asked them to put a notice on the board that Dr. Frank Costigan should get in touch with his mother. Joe also was in the crowd, and the two girls. The M.C.C. would do this only when a doctor was concerned. They all saw the notice, guessed something had happened at home and all made their way homewards. I rang the Exchange and Kath came home, and I rang Molesworth where Eughie was licensee of the hotel. So the family gathered. And on the Wednesday, Dad’s requium Mass was offered and he was buried in Heidelberg (Warringal) cemetery as it was not possible to get a grave in Coburg where his parents, Daniel and Anne, and sister, Elizabeth, as well as the Sullivan ancestors were buried.

There was a great gathering of the clans for the funeral and wake. Then had to come the winding up of the business. Joe was able to attend to that, though I had the job of visiting the customers who owed money. Frank Mussett owned a car and offered to drive me round – I was on holidays, being in transit from Stawell High School to Mirboo North. The task of going into strangers’ houses and telling people about Dad and trying to get payment for goods sold really opened my eyes to a new world – as some of the people whose names and addresses and lists of goods bought by them even denied that they knew Dad, let alone purchased goods from him! So, quite a number of bad debts were never recovered.

(In 1957 Johanna and her daughters Mary, Eileen and Winnie, moved from Westgarth to 120 Westbourne Grove, Northcote, two doors from St. Joseph’s church, where they stayed until some time after the deaths of Johanna in 1964 and Mary in 1977, after which the remaining ‘girls’ returned to (West) Preston, near St. Raphael’s parish church until Winnie passed away in 1984. Eileen, then alone, moved to Glenhuntly until increasing frailty required a move to St. Joseph’s Hostel for the Elderly in Hawthorn, and thence to her final residence, the Bodalla Nursing Home in Kew where in 1999, at the age of 90 years, she enjoys football, cricket and current events per medium of radio station 3LO.)

 

Johanna Costigan (Daughter of Eugene and Mary Sullivan):

Johanna was born on the farm at Preston on May 18th, 1871, the fifth child and third daughter. She went to school at the South Preston State School in Hotham Street until she was 12. Then the Catholic school at Heidelberg was opened, and she and some of her brothers walked the 3 miles there and home again for 12 months. Soon after that she was apprenticed to a dressmaker in Smith Street, Collingwood. She walked to work and home again most days, but travelled on the horse-drawn bus that ran twice a week along High Street from Wood’s corner. During the first couple of years she received no pay, but later was paid two shillings and sixpence (25c) a week!

At home there were all sorts of jobs to be done – much cow-milking (she would not let us girls learn how to milk when we were young growing up on the farm), cooking, sewing – plenty of that with an ever-growing family of boys and two more girls. However, they had their share of pleasures – going from farm to farm some nights for dancing and singing. The Foleys whose farm was in Dundas Street had a piano, and the Sullivans and other men would take the dray to Foley’s, load the piano on to it and off they’d go to the house of that nights hosts! Then there were the dances and debates and so on at the parish church at St. John’s, Clifton Hill.”

 

Children of James Costigan and Johanna Sullivan, by Adrian Costigan

Mary Ursula Costigan 20/12/1895 – 12/8/1977:

As the eldest child and daughter, Mary spent much of her life helping her mother to rear the other children, support their families as nephews and nieces arrived, and maintain strong links with the numerous related Costigan and Sullivan families. “Auntie Mary” was the clearing house for information and news on all branches of the family and was loved and respected by all who knew her. Although there exists a photo taken in the garden at Gower Street and dated 1909, of Mary seated with long dark hair, a long white dress and a fine young feller named Arthur McCann whose hand rests on the back of her chair, she never marred – her mother was said to have dissuaded suitors who were ‘not good enough’ and poor Arthur McCann was a mere tram conductor – Mary used to take tram rides to see him! She was a warm, caring person who had her own vast family. Intelligent, educated at Santa Maria College (all the way to South Yarra in those days), Mary taught for a while at Sacred Heart parish school although not qualified as a teacher (Eileen was one of her pupils) and was also an excellent pianist, accompanying many church functions including even square dancing attended by her nephews! Mary caused her mother to receive the old age pension: only when Mary herself became eligible and applied for it did her proud and independent mother, then over 80 years old, decide she might as well get it too – she was certainly well qualified!

 

Joseph Aloysius Costigan 30/4/1899-18/12/1966 & the Family at Preston:

Young Joe, attending the Sacred Heart parish school at Preston, made his First Communion on October 25th 1908, and in 1912 passed the “Primary Examination of the University of Melbourne” in the following subjects – English, Arithmetic, Geography, Botany, French, Algebra, Composition and Writing, and British History, according to a certificate signed by the Registrar of Melbourne University. Primary education was certainly a serious affair in those days! He also, of course, gained the Merit Certificate, a document signed by the ‘Head-teacher’, Sister M. Victor.

Following the tradition of his Sullivan uncles, Joe then enrolled at the Jesuits’ St. Patrick’s College, East Melbourne, where in his first year (Junior Preparatory Class’) he won the prize for physics – a volume titled “Half Hours Underground”. The following year he gained first place in History, French and English, and second place overall in ‘Junior Public Class’ (what genius, we wonder, won first place?). No other records remain of Joe’s scholastic achievements at St. Patricks, but on May 7th, 1915 he was received as a member of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary ‘…by the suffrages of his companions and with the approbation of his Superiors…’.

After leaving school young Joseph joined the Taxation Department, and, settling down to serious part-time study as well as involvement in sport and social activities through the Catholic Young Men’s Society, family and parish peers, passed the Intermediate Examination for students of the Federal Institute of Accountants in July 1919. On 27th May 1924 he resigned from Taxation to join the accounting business of Oswald Barnett at Temple Court, Melbourne. In the middle or late 1930’s Joe made his last significant business decisions, rejecting an offer of partnership with Barnett and joining the National Trustees at 95 Queen Street as Accountant, rising to the position of Company Secretary many years before his death, almost ‘on the job’, in December, 1966.

A fortnight before his wedding a report of a grand final cricket match in the H.A.C.B.S. competition appeared in “The Advocate”. Preston had defeated Middle Park with Joe taking 6/14 (he was a fastish bowler), Tom Whelan catching opening batsman O’Donohue off Joe’s bowling, and Mick Martin making 16 runs at first wicket and taking 1/29 with his medium pacers. In the semi-final against West Melbourne Mick Martin took a total of 9 wickets for 41 runs while Joe made only 1 run but took a wicket and a catch. The Costigan-Martin combination was the strength of the team! However, Joe played no more sport after the wedding.

After their marnage on 21st April, 1927 and on Joe’s weekly salary of five pounds ($10) Joe and Ileen (Martin) moved into a new house at 14 Glen Iris Road, Camberwell, where they made lifelong friends with the also newly-wedded Pat and Marie Collins who lived opposite. Their modern brick residence with bay windows even had a chip heater at the foot of the bath to provide hot water, and a red globe in Ileen’s ironing room to signify when the iron was being used; it also had a vast, undeveloped backyard stretching over two hundred feet and including a fowl run far from the home. The house still exists, but a second story has been added, and doubtless the chip heater has been replaced.

Before the move back to Preston around 1932 their first children Adrian and the twins Michael and Frank, were born and Joe purchased the family’s first wireless – a two-part set which made “joey” noises (as Joe told the inquisitive young Adrian) when being tuned to a station. This wireless was still being used by the family even after W.W.2. until Grandfather Martin used parts of the speaker cabinet to construct one of the many small tables and chairs he enjoyed making. The children used to cluster around the old set to listen to serials such as “Dad and Dave”, “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, “Martins’ Corner”, “The Search for the Golden Boomerang”, “David and Dawn in the Land of the Sea Fairies” and later, a bit older and with their parents, entertainment such as the great Jack Davey’s Colgate-Palmolive Show.

Many years later Ileen regretted the move from Camberwell, but it was probably necessary for with three children under two years (and the likelihood of more to come) she would have needed considerable support – and all her family lived in Preston.

For a while the family lived at 1 Irene St. Preston with Grandfather Martin, Aunts Elsie and Dolly, and Uncle Tom Whelan. The three boys shared a double bed near the kitchen and one day found a little sister in a pram, for it was then that Margaret was born and a young local girl, Mary Naughton (or Norton?), was engaged to help Ileen with the housework. Mary stayed with the family until towards the end of the second World War when Elsie came to live with the family. One of Adrian’s delightful memories of the time is waving goodbye to forlorn twins at the gate as he went by taxi with his mother and Auntie Mary Costigan for a holiday at Warburton: on route to which a rear wheel fell off the ‘service car’ and bounded ahead of the vehicle before it shakily stopped. The holiday was probably essential for Ileen’s good health since she would have had four children under five years old, had lost most of her teeth because of the ravages of pregnancy (vitamin supplements etc. were not used in those days) and she must have been physically exhausted and emotionally very tired. But Adrian had a great time, being introduced to cream, playing croquet with ‘old’ ladies, and enjoying more of his mother’s company than usual.

After the interlude at Irene Street, certainly before Peter was born in 1935, the family rented 275 Bell Street, which was opposite the church and only about fifty metres from Irene St.. During this time an epidemic of poliomylitis (then called ‘infantile paralysis’) closed schools and terrified mothers of young children, but enabled Adrian, Michael and Frank to enjoy weeks of cricket in the backyard, scoring remarkable double, triple and quadrupal centuries and improving their mathematical abilities no end. While practising a bowling action after scoring one such enormous total Adrian fell awkwardly and smashed his left elbow; Doctor Horgan was very impressed with both his score and the state of the elbow, and Adrian spent several weeks in the ‘Strathmore’ hospital with his arm in danger of amputation because of infection. (In those pre-penicillin days a special splint was constructed which was held in place by bandages, enabling a nurse to swab the oozing pus from the many slits cut in the arm to get rid of the poison – and to tell the little chap that a cat seen from his window nearly had his arm for dinner!).

Peter and Elizabeth were born during the ‘275’ years, the latter just a few weeks before Grandfather Jim Costigan, who used to supply butter etc. on his weekly dairy round, suddenly died; but not before Ileen could object to his calling his latest grandaughter “Liz”! Another exciting event at that time was the birth of the children’s first Martin cousin – John Julian, son of Ileen’s brother Walter and Winnie Condon. The family also had a memorable trip by steam train to Uncle Eughie Costigan’s pub at Molesworth. Not long after their arrival floods forced Eughie to kill his ‘Judas’ sheep to feed his family and customers, then shoot another because the small flock could no longer be led to slaughter. The slaughter of the Sheep, their quartering and hanging in the outdoor fly-proofed cage and the finding of the deadly bullet in the sheep’s body both educated and fascinated the boys. Eughie also milked a cow and kept lots of fowls and presumably grew vegetables, but the latter were not of interest to the children. At the back of the pub was a “lagoon” in which none of the adventurous lads was drowned, although they may have been if the old Eildon dam had broken. Apparently it was thought unstable, and all dwellings in the way of possible floodwaters were fitted with warning bells which were tested at the same time every evening, much as air raid sirens were tested during the War. One day they rang at the wrong time, but so severe was the rain at the time that the (false) warning was ignored. The boys, with Vera’s son Ron, played ‘shop’ with sticks of gelignite found in a shed in the back yard until the road workers living at the pub found out and discovered pieces of their explosive all over the place, including under Joe’s and Ileen’s bed! Finally, young Frank contracted pneumonia and was ensconced in Dr. Frank’s home in Yea until he recovered. A few years before the second World War Joe purchased his last home (with help from the State Savings Bank) at 590 Bell Street, Preston. The removalists moved into 275 while Grandpa Martin walked with some of the children to their new home on the heights of Bell Street.

The large house at 590 was exciting to the young Costigans because of its ‘upstairs’ and the mysterious small doors leading from the upper-level rooms into the roof cavity. It was great for the growing family although the next-door neighbours, the Salvationist Blenheims with their sole child Marilyn, were shocked that six Catholic children would be close by. Even though two more – Paul and Anne – were to come the Blenheims became reconciled to their fate when they realised Costigans were were not scions of the devil. Nevertheless Ileen was not displeased years later when Mrs. Blenheim, her only child a twenty-years-old daughter, surprisingly became pregnant and was delivered of a son.

In the late 1930’s and 1940 (and 1941?) the family had wonderful Christmas holidays when Joe would hire a furniture van from a character called John Jack (!!), load it with beds, baggage and his family plus Grandpa, Auntie Doll Whelan, perhaps the Martins, and take them to Kelso Street, Mentone. The house had an outdoors dunny serviced by a ‘night cart’ and a bottle of phenyl was kept to sprinkle in the can after each usage. The only cooling ‘system’ was a Coolgardie safe for food; hessian was draped over the perforated metal cabinet and dangled in a small trough of water running around the exterior of the bottom of the cabinet. Evaporation was the principle. One hellish, terrifying night the smell of burning was in the air and ash drifted around Mentone as fires raged over two million hectares of Victoria – it was 13th January, 1939 – “Black Friday”- when Melbourne’s temperature reached 45.6 degrees Celsius, seventy-one people were burned to death and a thousand homes were destroyed. And the old timber dwelling had no air conditioning!

The Kelso St. house had a bathing box ‘attached’, and it was a wonderful asset. Buckets and spades, bathing costumes, towels, chairs etc. could be stored there making easy the very frequent short walks to the beach where the children had marvellous fun, often with cousins who may have been staying at Kelso St. or just visiting for a day, and with other friends such as the Cullen and Mithen families from Preston (who also rented houses), the Will Sullivan family (they lived in Mentone), the Harzmeyers (clients of Joe and manufacturers of chocolates!) and Roy and Dorothy Cahir’s girls (also from Preston). Joe and Tom Whelan were always there at weekends but if they had to work would stay at Preston from Mondays to Fridays. On the large front lawn many cricket games were played, often including adults – Tom Whelan, Joe, John and Jerry Coonan etc.. But these holidays ended when serious war broke out in Europe and the Pacific.

With eight wartime children, food and clothes rationing and even the danger of a call-up (Joe did not work in an ‘essential’ industry) and school fees to be paid at Sacred Heart, St. Patrick’s and Catholic Ladies College, the parents would have suffered huge stress that the children were unaware of – although they did notice Joe’s hair falling out because of effects of nervous disorder. (The hair grew back later.)

Support from the extended family was tremendous. Dolly and Tom were like second parents, Elsie moved in to assist with housework while she continued to teach at Sacred Heart, Uncle Wal Martin virtually gave Joe his Studebaker “Dictator” car (Joe insisted on paying forty or fifty pounds) when he bought one of the last new cars in Melbourne – a green Morris which he detested as gutless – as well as any spare petrol ration tickets and, being a doctor involved in medical examinations for conscripts, coached Joe in how to fail the examination when he eventually was called up! ‘Uncle Mick’ Coonan, the Yea farmer who had married ‘Auntie Mag’ Sullivan, always brought food on his regular visits to town – usually meat, but also remembered are a five-gallon tin of honey, a carton of peach and pineapple jam and jars of delicious, clotted or “scalded” cream. Very nice on plum jam and white bread. On some return trips he would take back one of the young Costigans – often Peter, who was of suitable age and adventurous spirit – for a farm holiday.

As one of the few men in the area who had a telephone, Joe was appointed A.R.P. (Air Raid Precautions) Warden and had to supervise occasional practice sessions. Gas masks and stirrup pumps were some of the equipment stored in the loft of the garage at 590 Bell St. which the boys enjoyed playing with. Trenches and air raid shelters were being constructed in parkland and on private property – Uncle Wal Martin had a beaut air raid shelter which unfortunately filled with water in fairly short time – and a vast working bee of St. Patrick’s boys dug trenches in the Fitzroy Gardens one Friday to the entertainment and encouragement of the girls of the adjacent Presbyterian Ladies College (now the site of Dallas Brookes Hall). The young ‘ladies’ would have used the trenches in the event of bombs falling, and encouraged the boys by providing morning tea during the following Saturday working bee. Self interest or gender interest?

Air raid sirens were regularly tested, and when a ‘blackout’ was imposed on Melbourne for fear of air raids, Grandfather Martin constructed ‘three-ply’ blackout screens for the home windows, searchlights swept the night sky, and all street and vehicle lights were rendered virtually useless by light-absorbent, downward directing metal covers. The brightest lights – quite spectacular, really – were the flashes from tramways overhead gear as trams passed through intersections and shunting points. The house on the hill at 590 Bell St. had a great vantage point from the upstairs front windows which faced the city.

In lieu of rationed petrol, many cars towed ” Gas-producers” – contraptions which burnt charcoal to produce a combustible gas and which also produced an explosive ‘bang’ when decommissioned at the end of a trip; the Costigans knew whenever a certain neighbour returned from an outing. The gas producers were also said to be not very good for the motor, but maybe not as bad as flyspray, kerosine and other odd liquids tipped into the tanks of stranded or desperate motorists to eke out more conventional fuel. The Studebaker relied on petrol but with a ration at one time of five gallons per month trips were short – certainly to church on Sundays; when Uncle Wal had spare tickets, some beach excursions were undertaken.

Other privations felt by the boys were the withdrawal from sale of Butterscotch Pies, a delicious Peter’s icecream on sticks, coated with butterscotch (they ate the last ones in Preston when Dr. Horgan ‘shouted’ for the family on a visit), and the suspension ‘for the duration’ of the Victorian Football Association competition, for they used to follow the Preston “Bullants” with devotion, watching all their home’ games at the Cramer St. oval and sometimes going to Coburg or Northcote grounds for ‘away’ matches. A memorable match had been between Port Melbourne (notorious rough types) when a brawl started on the field and the little boys crouched behind the fence as spectators jumped over them to join in the fracas. One character chased the ‘rugged’ Preston ruckman Jack Norman with a hammer, and after the match the brawl continued for a considerable time in High Street! As Joe recalled his team’s bus being stoned after playing in a C.Y.M.S. match at Port Melbourne in his bachelor days it was obvious that the tradition continued. Later young Michael won an award from a children’s radio show for his written description of the mayhem.

The Geelong football club also closed down, but League footballers in the services who had transferred interstate were allowed to play in their original clubs if they happened to be in Melbourne; thus was Adrian privileged to see the fabulous Hayden Bunton (senr.) perform at Fitzroy when taken there by his father.

A good friend was Mrs. Mabel Cahir who lived couple of hundred yards to the east of 590 and ran a cake shop fifty yards to the west. As a young Irish colleen she’d married married a W.W.I. digger but had been widowed. Her three sons, Jim, Pat and Vincent, had attended St. Patrick’s College (Vin was in his last year when Adrian was in his first), and all played football with the Preston C.Y.M.S., Jim and Pat as veterans when Peter Costigan was playing. At the back of her shop was a retired library, and she used to lend books to the Costigan children who were introduced at an early age to many English classics by writers such as Sir Walter Scott and Charles Dickens.

Jim Cahir joined the air force and was shot down over Germany, listed first as “missing in action” but later as Prisoner of War having safely parachuted out of his bomber. Another neighbour, Mr. Majewski, the local barber, joined the army and spent most of the war in the Changi prison camp in Singapore. He returned with his health ruined and eyesight damaged, although he tried to trim a few heads in his garage. These men were the nearest personal contact the children had with the horror (and adventure?) of war.

At war’s end all but Paul and Anne were at school and Carlton had beaten South Melbourne in a mighty bloodbath witnessed by the boys and, of course, that keen Blues supporter Uncle Tom Whelan.

In retrospect it seems astonishing how well the parents coped with the stresses of bringing up a large family under wartime privations and at times real fear of invasion or bombing. The family’s survival in sanity and good health is a tribute to their devotion and hard work and the wonderful support given by the extended family of Costigans, Martins and Coonans.

Like his father, Joe Costigan worked until the end. During a Wednesday in late December Joe had drafted a long, complicated letter regarding one of the estates entrusted to the National Trustees, but he was growing weaker and collapsed towards the end of the day. As had become customary Anne called for him at the office and he was virtually carried to his car (a six-cylinder automatic Chrysler “Valiant”, with button gear selector) at the front door of the office in Queen Street. On the Friday he was admitted to Mt. St. Evan’s hospital (on the site of the present St. Vincent’s Private). When the family visited him on the Saturday evening he bade farewell to them (they realised in retrospect) by shaking hands with the sons and kissing the women – and gave Adrian four dollars to put on the plate at next morning’s Mass “for a special intention”. An hour after returning home the family was summoned as he had collapsed for the last time. Michael was in Sydney and Peter was in New York, but the remaining children, Ileen and his brother Dr. Frank were present when he passed away in the early morning of December 18th, 1966. The family adjourned to Sr. Elizabeth’s convent in Clifton Hill and Fr. Paul celebrated Mass in the nun’s chapel.

At Sacred Heart Church a friend put Joe’s four dollars on the collection plate while the family notified relatives and mourned at home.

Within a year of Joe’s passing, Ileen moved to Clive Street, East Bnghton, where she remained until her death on 20th June, 1983. Joe had seen less than half of his grandchildren, for Paul’s, Michael’s and Adrian’s children were born some years after his death, but Ileen was fortunate to have known all of hers. Great-grandchildren, however, appeared even later and are recorded elsewhere.

 

Francis Eugene Costigan 4/12/1902-31/7/77:

When the time came for young Frank to enter secondary school, his uncle, Jeremiah (Jerry) Sullivan, 5.J., who was stationed at Riverview Jesuit College, Sydney, offered to look after his education, and Frank went to Sydney. When ‘Uncle’ Jerry was appointed to Xavier College, Kew, Frank came with him and did him proud as an outstanding student- Dux of the college in 1920 and prize-winner in at least Greek and French at Leaving Honours, and captain of both cricket and football teams teams in 1921.

Frank then entered medical school at Melbourne University (coincidently, with Ileen Martin’s brother, Walter), did his internship at St. Vincent’s Hospital, and while studying continued his football career with the Fitzroy club in the V.F.L., playing 26 games and kicking 9 goals between 1925 and 1927. ‘Uncle Mick’ Coonan, who’d married a Sullivan and who farmed at Yea, invited and helped him to set up practice in the town, which was apparently ill-served by its incumbent medico. Frank continued to play cricket – Uncle Mick had a cricket ground on his property (Cannon Vale) – and became so beloved and respected by his patients that many years after leaving Yea some of them still came to him for advice and treatment.

On 14th January 1931, the birth day of Joe Costigan’s twin boys, Frank and Ursula Hoy were married at St. Joseph’s, Elsternwick. By around 1937 when Joe and family visited, Frank was the town doctor and was living next to the small hospital with his wife and first child, Jacqueline. In the early war years Frank became quite ill and had to come to Melbourne for several months for treatment. During this time Ursula had to sell the Yea home and a permanent move to Melbourne was necessary. Although called up for army service he was medically unfit, but was required to look after three medical practices in the Glenhuntly area. (“Manpower” had enormous authority during the war years, even requiring Frank’s sisters Eileen and Monica, and many other teachers, to pick fruit during their long school vacation.)

Frank and Ursula were loyal supporters of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and every year worked for the Xavier College Maytime Fair. When their son Gerard was ordained in the Order his ordination ‘breakfast; was held at Xavier College, a proud moment for his parents and the extended Costigan family, most of whom were able to attend the service and celebrations. Dr. Costigan eventually purchased a general practice in Collins Street, Melbourne, and in 1943 purchased a home in Hawthorn Road, Caulfield. Following the demolition of the Collins Street premises and the death of Ursula in 1971, Dr. Frank transferred his practice to Hawthorn Road where he worked and lived until his death in 1977. For many years Frank was an honorary consultant at St. Vincent’s Hospital cardiac unit and also lectured to nurses. After his family, Frank’s greatest love was probably the Fitzroy Football Club, and long after his playing days served as both a committee member and the team’s doctor.

In the year 2003 Framk’s daughter Mimi (Madeleine) was asked to contribute to a book on the history of the Yea hospital; her contribution follows.

Francis Eugene Costigan 16th December 1902-31st July 1977
frank Costigan, son of James Christopher Costigan (dairy produce merchant) and Johanna Sullivan, grew up in Fitzroy (1902-1906) and then Preston (1906-1914) where his parents took over a small farm in Gower St.. Following his primary schooling at the local Catholic school, he won a scholarship to attend Xavier college for his secondary education. As well in 1914 he spent a short time at Riverview College in Sydney where his uncle Fr. Jeremiah (“Spot”) Sullivan S.J. was Rector.

At Xavier College he did everything exceptionally well, whether it be with academic or with sporting concerns. He became Captain of the football XVIII, the cricket XI and also the athletics team. Finally at the end of his school year, he was awarded Dux of the school. Along with all this success was the fact of his immense popularity – he was loved and respected by all, teachers and students alike, loads of fun to be with but always humble and never affected by the success and popularity that was part of his being.

In 1922, after his years at Xavier, another scholarship took him to Newman College at the Melbourne University, where he studied medicine. Once again he shone academically and also of course with his beloved sport. While at uni he played for the University Blacks – 1922 premiers, and also featured in the athletics team. His Residency was carried out at St. Vincent’s hospiutal in Victoria Parade Melbourne, during this time he played in the firsts for Fitzroy Footbsall Club (1926-1928). Actually, after his school years at Xavier, Melbourne Football Club invited him to join them, but nothing and nobody could have lured him away from “the Roys”.

Early 1929 Frank moved to Yea where he set up practice and lived at “The Crescent”. He had become familiar with the district over many years as he had relatives there. Mr. and Mrs. Mick Coonan of Cannonvale were his Aunt and Uncle. Uncle Mick had great influence on Frank’s decision to go to Yea, encouraging him all the way, this plus his love of the district made the choice easy.

At the time there was a Dr. Wilkinson in residence at “Halleta”. Frank, working from “The Crescent’, did so alongside Dr. Wilkinson until time came that Dr. Wilkinson moved on. The practice covered many miles, the only other doctor in the district it appears was at Alexandra, this gentleman was to become a good friend of Frank’s.

Right from the start Frank was deeply involved in the community in many ways, sport of course being one – cricket and football mainly but also golf and tennis. On 21st March 1929 he gained his official clearance from Fitzroy. As far as I know he became captain and coach of the Yea football team- always watching out for future Fitzroy players! As a cricketer he was also very popular and eventually became President of the Y.D.C.A, the team that he was already captain of. In 1937-1938 he was awarded the “Best All Round” trophy presented by Cr. C. H. Lempriere. This team, I’m sure, played in the Victorian Country Week competition held in Melbourne, unfortunately, I do not know what years or other details. In 1939-1940 they were premiers with Frank as their Captain and President. For Frank there were many highlights and awards over the years, sadly time has done away with much of the information and dates.

On 14th January, 1931, Frank married Ursula Hoy, a nurse from Elsternwick. They moved into ‘Halleta’ in Station Street around that time (Frank may have purchased “Halletta” soon after Dr. Wilkinson left and may even have been living there before getting married). Ursula helped Frank with his medical practice, especially by way of running the health centre when she could, and in many other areas that through her nursing knowledge she could assist. She, as well as this, was active in the community and so, with Frank became very much loved and respected. Frank was totally devoted to his patients carrying out his duty of care to a point that was over and above what was usually expected.

While in Yea, Ursula gave birth to four babies, sadly the first, John Vianney, born prematurely in 1931 died shortly after birth. Then in 1933 came Jacqueline, also premature but not so much as John (Jacqueline died on February 13th, 2002 after an unsuccessful battle with cancer). Paul followed in 1935 living only a very short time after his birth and then Gerard in 1937, very premature but made it, (Gerry now lived in W. A..).

Frank absolutely loved Yea, its, community and his life there. He worked tirelessly through good times and bad – the Depression, Black Friday etc.. Then sadly in 1941 he became very seriously ill and was taken from Yea to Mount Saint Evans hospital in Melbourne. Ursula, with two young children – Jacqui and Gerard had to pack up the house and move. She returned quickly to Melbourne and the practice was handed over to Dr. Pilkington.

The people of Yea were obviously so upset at losing Frank and Ursula, towards the end of July, when he was out of hospital and able to travel, the residents gave a farewell social evening during which they presented them with a beautiful large silver platter inscribed “Dr. and Mrs. F. E. Costigan, from the residents of Yea and district 25/7/1941”. While Frank was in hospital Ursula, Jacqui and Gerard stayed at the George Hotel in St. Kilda until they found suitable accommodation, a small duplex house in Hampton where they all lived until Frank was well enough to return to his work.

Sometime (I think in 1942) he went into general practice in Glenhuntly. Shortly after, probably late 1943/early 1944, following the tragic death in a car accident of a very good friend, Dr. Simon Bray, Frank left Glenhuntly and took on Simon’s practice at No. 33 Collins St., Melbourne. Here he worked as a Specialist Physician, a diagnostician, and an anaesthetist while also being on the honorary staff at St. Vincent’s hospital, as well, he gave lectures to student nurses there. He and his family moved from Glenhuntly to 311 Hawthorn Road South Caulfield, where he lived until his death on 31st July, 1977. In 1944 the “baby” of the family was born – Madeleine, commonly known as Mimi. (This same year Fitzroy won the Grand Final!! What a year for Dad, he never forgot which year I was born in that was for sure!!!)

Frank’s great love for Fitzroy blossomed – I remember so well going up to Yea to watch the footy, on the lookout with “The Roy’s” in mind! He was an official of the club for some years 1955-1959 and at some stage around this time, was a selector.

Another highlight that I must note is his involvement with the 1956 Olympic games in Melbourne, an honour that gave him great pride. He was one of the Honorary Medical Staff working with athletes, and attended certain functions, events and games that went with the position. We were so proud of him.

In 1971 Frank was forced to move from 33 Collins Street, the building was to be demolished. For the few years prior to this and following the retirement of his long time nurse, Ursula took the position and so when it came to the big move the obvious place to set up was home, at Hawthorn Road, Caulfield. The house was large enough as only Ursula, Frank and Mimi were living there. It was to be semi-retirement with frank working at a slower pace, his honorary position and lecturing at St. Vincent’s had ceased some years before. One week after the move from town to Caulfield, and only two days before starting date, Ursula had a coronary; she rallied for a day or so but died on 13th September 1971 in St. Vincent’s hospital. Frank was devastated.

The first three years after this were really hard, his deep sadness was so obvious, however time passed and after meeting up with an old Fitzroy ex-committee member of his era, he started, once more to go to see his club play. It was not long before he joined up with the Fitzroy Past Players and Officials, and in no time was elected Vice President. The last few years of his life were much happier, caring for his patients, involvement with Fitzroy, visiting his sisters, his wonderful sense of humour had returned.

In 1977 on Sunday July 31st, quietly, and with no warning, he died in his sleep. I was home with him, he had gone to bed early so I went to see if he would like a drink, he had gone. A wonderful, darling man who everybody loved and who I so proudly can say was my Dad.

 

Eugene Ignatius Costigan 15/6/1905-15/10/1966:

Eughie also attended St. Patrick’s College, East Melbourne, where he was still remembered in 1941 by one of his teachers – Bill Moloney – as a good athlete.

It is thought that Eughie may have worked at Yea with ‘Uncle Mick’ Coonan for a year. He certainly had a farm at Molesworth during the Great Depression of the 1930’s when the local hotel owner offered a swap – pub for farm – which Eughie accepted. “Leo” and “Cyril” were farming neighbours, and very good ones, Leo being quite well-to-do. When Eileen was very ill, she and her mother stayed two or three months at the hotel. Cyril used to take them to Mass at Alexandra or Yea. A Sister McCarthy was connected with Cyril and Leo – perhaps she was related to Mike Coonan’s first wife, and to the Great McCarthy who played football with North Melbourne.

In 1937 Eughie married the widow Vera Kingshott, who had been housekeeper at the hotel for some time, and whose son, Ron, Eughie informally adopted. After a while Eughie returned to the land briefly, on a rather hilly farm at Kangaroo Grounds.

Eughie and Vera then went to Kyneton to work in tea-rooms in the main street while living in South Kyneton near the Botanical Gardens. Eughie also sold wood by measure and worked on Lauriston Reservoir. It was in Kyneton that the eldest son, Brian, was born, in 1938. They then moved to North Kyneton where Eughie worked at the Newmarket Hotel as barman.

After about four years the family moved to Fitzroy for a short time and then to a home-made cakeshop in Prahran before moving to a flat in Prahran and working in a real estate business.

Later they went to Parkdale and then to 48 Soudan St. Coburg around 1940-41 where their daughter Maree was born in 1945. Eughie worked at Foley’s Commercial Hotel as head barman for a few years and for a short time at the Coburg Hotel. Eughie tried to enter parliament as a Labour candidate but was beaten by the well-known ‘Independent Labour’ candidate Mutton who held the seat for many years with strong local support.

After some years Eughie was head barman at Victoria Hotel, Victoria St. Brunswick for around a year. At this hotel Eughie noticed the till was a bit short and he wondered who was ‘tickling Peter’. He finally caught the culprit, took him outside and challenged him about the till, which the man denied strongly. Eughie, being a bit fiery, grabbed the fellow’s white jacket, pulled it off and noticed a small opening in the seam. Sure enough – a roll of notes was tucked away in the seam of the coat!

He then for twelve months looked after the hotel at the corner of Moreland and Sydney Roads (later to be one of the last pubs to sell Richmond beer) for the well-known hotelier Eughie Mulcahy. A fellow barman was Jack O’Connell, a former South Melbourne and Victorian footballer of note, and the pair became famous as the fastest-serving barmen in Melbourne!

Eughie’s and Vera’s next assignment was the Railway Hotel in Albert St., Brunswick, staying there for three years during which time their youngest child, Denis, was born (in 1949).

The family moved to the Princess HIghway Hotel, Pakenham, late in 1949. This hotel was the best by far and Eughie and Vera worked very hard to build up the business. The great staff consisted of Jack O’Connell and his wife May, Silvie and Leo Reynolds, Margaret O’Connell (later to be Ron’s wife), Pauline Tallow and a migrant couple Mick and Carmen.

On a typical Sunday at Pakenham Vera would make corned silverside and salad rolls and a cup of tea or coffee for the ladies (guess what the men drank! ) – all for the cost of sixpence (5c)! Eughie, Ron and Leo all served in the ‘night cupboard’ for under the peculiar laws of those days a bar could not open on Sundays (or after 6.00 p.m. on other days) but ‘bona fide’ travellers who’d travelled a minimum of twenty miles were entitled to buy alcoholic drinks – but not in the bar.

Next move came in 1954, to the Court House Hotel in Bacchus Marsh where Eughie introduced counter meals and Colvan chips to the bar.

Late in 1957 Eughie and Vera moved to Ballarat – 18 Symons St., Wendouree – for semi-retirement with Eughie working as a barman at the George, the Town Hall and the Canberra Hotels.

Eughie was always interested in sport, especially football – Aussie Rules, of course – and was involved in committee work from the Preston V.F.A. club to his final years when he was Vice President of the Ballarat Football Club. At this club an honour board was presented in his name for the inscription of the Reserve teams’ ‘Best and Fairest’ players. Eughie’s brother Frank (the former footballer of note) spoke on behalf of the family at the presentation.

Eughie was quite a character who said what he thought, and was considered by some of the family to have been his mother’s favourite. Vera earned the respect and gratitude of the older Preston Costigan boys when, on first seeing Frank Costigan’s massive 1923 Rolls Royce “Silver Ghost” which WAS NOT LIKED by their mother, she appreciatively exclaimed, “What a great old bomb!”

(Eughie and Vera had another daughter – Valma – who was born in Portland in July, 1937. Valma was adopted out and it wasn’t until not long before Vera died and Eughie had already passed away that the family was reunited. Val, like Marie a teacher, lives with her engineer husband Peter Bowra in Frankston.)

 

Kathleen Veronica Costigan (Tognini) 24/1/1907- 25/11/1985:

Considered to be a brilliant student who, like her younger sister won a rare scholarship to secondary school, Kath entered the Postmaster General’s Department on leaving Catholic Ladies College (C.L.C.), and while working at the Daylesford telephone exchange met Jack Tognini, scion of a pub-owning family and rumoured to have been mother-dominated. After an interrupted romance over a number of years, Kath and Jack were married – Jack’s mother had by then passed on – and took over the running of the Commercial Hotel, Daylesford. Kath, who looked after the business while Jack was more involved in bar work, proved an excellent manager whose only fault was her wonderfully hospitable nature – perhaps more income was expended on food of both quality and quantity than was economically wise – and business boomed, especially from tour buses which deposited their clients for dinner and, hopefully from the managers’ point of view, drinks. Her sister Monica (Tobin) moved to the town in the late 1940’s and often helped out at the hotel, while her husband, Martin, worked in the bar. Another example of traditional Costigan family support.

Eventually Jack and Kath sold out and moved to Geelong where they conducted a successful – and hospitable – boarding house at Drumcondra. After Jack died Kath moved to a comfortable hostel in the Heidelberg area where she remained, in good health and spirits, until her death.

 

Eileen Agnes Costigan 14/6/1909-14/10/1999:

A brilliant student and scholarship winner, Eileen won her way through C.L.C. and Melbourne University, starting a three-year Arts degree in 1927, and doing a post-graduate Diploma of Education in 1930.

In 1931, unable to get a job because of the Depression, Eileen was fortunate to be offered a position at St. Brigid’s school in Fitzroy teaching post-primary girls general subjects while a nun gave Commercial tuition – at two pounds per week. In 1932, on the payment of five shillings, she received a formal “Certificate of Registration as a Teacher”. While at university Eileen had holiday employment as a junior teacher at Tyler St. primary school, Preston, and detested the ‘infants’ work she was given and the tyrannical Infant Mistresses she encountered.

Her first employment as a registered teacher was again in a temporary position at Tyler St. at 18/- ($1.80) a week, but after the death of an ailing and elderly head teacher, a new ‘boss’, younger, involved in union affairs and alert, advised the staffing branch of the Department of the wasted talents of his young teacher, and she was transferred, still as a ‘junior teacher’, to various central or secondary schools. However, as a woman in a man’s world, at Westgarth Central she was required to look after the ‘littlies’ while the two inexperienced males who were appointed to teach French to Forms I and II knew nothing about the subject and used to ask Eileen for help every day!

After appointments at Stawell, Mirboo North, Sale, Warragul and Werribee Eileen resigned in frustration with Departmental bureaucratic procedures and male-dominated attitudes at the end of 1946 and joined George Taylor & Staff, a famous coaching college in Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, as a history teacher. After some years a throat or voice problem forced her resignation, and for a while she worked in the office of Sherlock & Wilson, an accounting machine firm, resigning in December, 1952, to take up her last position, for which she was eminently suited – history teacher at Santa Maria, the Good Samaritan girls’ college in Northcote. During this time she tutored her nephew Peter Costigan in his matriculation year to an honours pass in history, although his eccentric teacher, Hugo Quigley, S.J., gained public credit! Jack Phillips, who was a student of Eileen’s at Taylor’s and later became a deputy director of education, regarded her as one of the best history teachers he had come across. Towards the end of her time at Santa Maria, Eileen was appointed Librarian – another labour of love.

In her retirement Eileen became very involved in the Catholic Women’s League, especially in connection with the publishing of the league’s magazine, “The Horizon”. Long before this she had acquired a motor car – first a Hillman and then a Torana – and enjoyed motoring around Victoria and New South Wales visiting various friends and relatives, often with one or more of her sisters.

After the death of Mary, Winnie and Eileen moved back to Preston – specifically, Cooper St., West Preston – for some years until Winnie died, when she moved to her last independent home in Glenhuntly. After some years at St. Joseph’s hostel in Hawthorn where she met again long-separated friends of her youth, such as Eileen Crisp/Dwyer, increasing frailty requiring full time care forced her to move to the Bodalla nursing home in Kew. In 1999, no longer able to read but in good spirits, the last of her generation of Costigans accepted her infirmity and enjoyed listening to test cricket, football, current affairs and talkback radio – and winning any quiz shows the home organises for its residents!

Eileen pasased away quietly – in her sleep – on 14th October, 1999. The following tribute was written by St. Rita Hayes who had been student, staff member and principal during Eileen’s twenty-three years at Santa Maria college.

To numerous Santa students she was the lay staff. Santa’s first full-time lay teacher and, for many years, its only one, Eileen Costigan was a greatly loved and deeply respected member of the Santa family.

Innumerable Santa students have her to thank for their mastery of history at senior examination level. Perhaps fewer in number, but no less significant, were the many students who imbibed her love of history. To little Form I and II students, Miss Costigan was a figure of awe, for although short of stature, she was physically imposing and her resonant voice commanded immediate attention. In senior years this remained, but it arose out of deep respect for her encyclopaedic knowledge, her interest in her students, the detailed correction of essays and her fund of stories about historical characters that brought history alive. If the facts of history kept us enthralled, the digressions were even more entertaining. These came, not just from someone who was a dispassionate spectator of history, but from a passionate participant. We ‘lived’ the World Wars and the Great Depression and we knew the route from the Costigan farm at Preston to the local school, not only through verbal description, but visually through hand directions!

As a member of staff, Miss Costigan epitomized the ‘team player’, and to her Principals she gave unswerving support and loyalty. Her professionalism and dedication were an inspiration to those with whom she taught, as were her generosity and interest in her students. For many years she had large senior classes, but her corrections were meticulous and I can remember her taking students, who couldn’t fit history into their class time-table, for individual lessons during her only free periods.

For those of us who were fortunate enough to be taught by her or teach along side of her, she has given much. We knew what she held dear: her faith, her patriotism, her love of family and of her profession. She taught us to have intellectual rigour and to despise the soft option. If sloppy work were handed in, it was accurately marked “rubbish” in her distinctive handwriting but the author of it was always treated with kindness, encouragement and the assurance of her help. Like St. Thomas More, she lived in the belief that God was her most important audience, and she never sought human favour or popularity. What she gained was a life well lived and a legacy of respect, affection and gratitude.

(Sr. Hayes was a student 1952-55, staff 1968-74 and principal 1975-81)

 

Winifred Margaret Costigan 19/4/1911-17/7/1984:

“Winnie” probably bore a stronger resemblance to her Costigan forebears than most of her siblings; she was also said to have been very pretty, thereby emulating several of her Costigan aunts whose old photographs survive. It was also said that she was closest to her father in temperament and affection. However, like all her family, she was a very good student as shown by a “Sub-Intermediate A” certificate issued by the Catholic Ladies College in 1925: “Excellence” describes her standard in nine of her eleven subjects, with two achieving “Distinction”.

Winnie joined the Australian Public Service, but unfortunately contracted ‘consumption’ (tuberculosis) and was out of action for several years. This illness also ruined a romance with a quite eligible young man who seems to have been discouraged by its appearance. On resuming work at first with the Department of Supply (then combined with Civil Aviation) and later with other Departments, she was unable to achieve permanency because of her health record, although in fact was able to work right up to the age of compulsory retirement and was active in the Australian Public Service Association for fourth division officers.

Like Eileen, Winnie acquired a Torana motor car and with it enjoyed holiday trips, visiting friends and family, and doing many good works within the Catholic church – for, like her father, she loved her religion and followed its tenets throughout her life. Apparently in good health and enjoying life, Winnie died quite unexpectedly and was mourned by a large and diverse gathering of friends and relatives.

 

Anne Monica Costigan (Tobin) 1/9/1912-29/4/96:

Monica also was educated at Sacred Heart School, Preston, and at C.L.C., and then entered the State teaching service. Her first appointment was at Wycheproof in the Mallee, where the train ran up the middle of the main street and ‘Mon’ boarded in primitive conditions with a wheat farmer’s family. A later appointment was at Cromwell St. (or Cambridge St., but almost certainly the former), Collingwood, where, in the middle of the Great Depression, she encountered real poverty. From 1931 to 1936 when half the parents were unemployed the school provided daily meals for 150 pupils as well as 800 pairs of boots, warm undergarments and tons of potatoes and other vegetables. The school had a bath in which Mon and another teacher used to bathe some of the grubbiest and poorest children. In modern, litigious times she would have been charged with assault or sued for child abuse, but in those practical days was honoured for her charity and dedication beyond the call of duty. Clearly a man of outstanding humanity and organisational ability, her Head Teacher, Herbert Penrose (1921-1940) founded the State Schools Relief Committee, and got the co-operation of staff, local authorities and churches. (“Vision &,Realisation, Vol. II”- Education Dept.)

On 1st September, 1945, Monica and Martin Tobin were married at St. Joseph’s church, Northcote, and lived for a while at Bunyip, for Martin worked on the railways in that area. With the train passing only the length of a few cricket pitches from their door in those days of steam, many were the lumps of black coal gathered from beside the track by him to warm the hearth with their intense heat. When Martin retired (he developed a serious heart problem) the family moved to Daylesford where the parents helped out at Kath and Jack Tognini’s hotel and brought up their children, Mary Anita and Martin (Jun.). After her husband died (Martin was 16 or 17 years older than his wife) Mon resumed teaching at Daylesford for a couple of years before returning to the city in the 1950’s, purchasing a home at Ivanhoe, teaching at Helen St., Northcote, and finally taking promotion to Fairfield North from where she retired on 1st September, 1972, the day before her daughter’s wedding. Like most Costigans, Mon was very interested in sport, and although probably considered ‘elderly’ by the younger staff, willingly took responsibility for coaching and umpiring the school’s senior girls’ sporting teams, especially netball.

In her retirement Mon was far from idle, with involvement in the Catholic Women’s League – she worked on the magazine committee with Eileen – local church affairs, St. Vincent de Paul’s Society and, as a rare owner-driver of her generation of women, ferrying her many friends to social, holiday and charitable engagements. Sadly, in her last few years she was affected by Alzheimer’s disease, but she is remembered by her family and friends as a warm, outgoing, generous, loving and capable woman.