Chapter 22: Chapter 22

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Kimpton the draper had paid in full for his Elizabeth Street shop; he waived the usual

thirty day period to get possession before the business deteriorated any further, and

was already stirring up the establishment as a basis for making himself the biggest

draper in Melbourne. He was still not sure just what had occurred leading up to his

purchase of the property but knew, whatever it was, he had a bargain that would

serve his family business for years.

Mrs Chittering capitulated at last because of news conveyed to her by Mr Pryor that

the local publicans were near to making an offer for Fogarty's pub. After a great effort

he manged to beat Fogarty's price down to three hundred and seventyfive pounds.

Pryor's services extended to obtaining her a favourable mortgage through the

Melbourne and London Amicable Building Society and as she had only lately

emigrated to the colony he found a painter and decorator who was a paragon of his

trade. He also arranged for the purchase of furniture through his network of friends,

each of whom paid a satisfactory commission for a share of the trade.

Christmas was now approaching and the Flanagans had taken a house at Brighton

near the sea side with a view to purchase.

To Mr Pryor's regret he was not the agent who negotiated the letting of the house but

was pleased to receive an invitation for him and his mother to have Christmas dinner

with them and to spend a few days in the house as guests.

Henry was in a state of guerrilla warfare with his female relatives. His mother and

sisters were strongly opposed to him seeking an apprenticeship or a job in building or

engineering. They contended that one low, working class person in the family was

quite enough, thank you, and they did not want any more, no matter how wealthy he

might become as the demand for engineers and builders grew with the expanding

city.

Henry was considered by prospective employees to be a little old to enter his

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indentures as an apprentice, but as his father could pay a premium they were

prepared to overlook the problem. Once again he was carried off as a captive to the

petticoat brigade. This time to be taken to the wilds of Brighton, much as girls used to

be locked up in a nunnery so as to reconsider their notions about a possible foolish or

unsuitable liaison.

His duty in exile was to consider the advantages of working in an office rather than

the noise and dirt of a foundry or building site. In an office one's hands remained

clean, there would be a clear road to the top as manager, or director and his mother

and sisters could say to their friends that Henry was showing great promise in the

office, rather than having to conceal from them the fact that he was labouring away in

some smoky, dirty industry, with blackened face and rough hands.

Taking a house in Brighton in one of the streets between the railway station and the

beach was considered a very desirable step up the social ladder. Mrs. Flanagan's first

duty on securing the house was to order a set of calling cards from the printer. The

names and address on the card were printed in gold copperplate on glossy white

pasteboard.

They came neatly boxed and there were cards for everyone. One box contained a

family sets of cards. These were in threes, with a hole punched in one corner, and tied

together with blue ribbon and a neat bow. The top one read:

TIMOTHY FLANAGAN ESQ

"Alma"

Manor Street

Brighton

The second read:

Mrs. TIMOTHY FLANAGAN

"Alma"

Manor Street

Brighton

The third was:

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123

THE MISSES FLANAGAN

& Mr. HENRY FLANAGAN

"Alma"

Manor Street

Brighton

This accounted for them all and the cards would be used to inform the neighbours

that the large and desirable residence "Alma" was now occupied by a genteel family

from Melbourne.

A young manservant with spindly legs and an irritating sniff was made to put on

white gloves and a white waistcoat to indicate that he was not a gentleman caller but

a servant and instructed to visit nearby houses and to leave the cards with the

maidservants.

He did it though a natural victim of attack by the local dogs and after a few days of

flight and pursuit which brought some criticism from Mrs. Flanagan because of the

number of times the housekeeper had to repair his trousers the cards had been left at

houses up and down Manor Street and much of New Street and the beachfront and

some of the neighbouring streets as well.

Later, after the visiting cards of the neighbours had been presented in their turn there

would be 'at home' days during which the neighbours would come to call and take

tea.

Mrs. Flanagan knew all this would happen because she had been well advised by a

book of etiquette entitled 'The Colonial Ladies' Companion'. The foreword stated that

the book was for ladies brought up in the colonies who had not had access in their

formative years to the higher classes of society. The author of the guide was an

anonymous lady but readers were assured that her family's antecedents were

impeccable and in fact connected her with the highest personages in English society.

She had put pen to paper out of concern for colonial society which she had closely

studied during a sojourn in Australia and the book, as a guide and companion, was

intended to lead ladies such as Mrs. Flanagan through the intricacies of establishing a

social circle with which no visitor from England could find fault. Mrs. Flanagan

studied the book and closely copied the visiting cards from examples found therein.

By the time Christmas week arrived the strategies in the book were well in train after

the Flanagans had settled into their new home.

In town the partners in the land agency had little time to think of the Flanagans

because they were busy securing their own position after the bank crash which had

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124

nearly destroyed both them and their business.

The bank failure had caused great distress to many of its clients who were not as

lucky or swift moving as the partners and were facing financial ruin. Little could be

done for them no matter how great their distress. Some people who were totally

destitute received private charity, but that was all. Some day the receiver in

bankruptcy would dispose of any assets owned by the bank in Victoria and the

creditors would be paid so much in the pound, from sixpence or a shilling upwards,

but the bank depositors would probably receive nothing.

As Christmas approached business at the agency slackened. Clients who had been in

the market to purchase cheap housing lost interest, at least for the time being. There

was no money to spare for investment in the London and Melbourne Amicable

Building Society and the people of Melbourne were totally caught up in the need for

entertainments, gifts, decorations, family parties, Christmas puddings and roast

dinners. The latter were inappropriate in the hot weather but were prized for their

reminders of Christmases past back home in the old country.

It was no use opening the doors of the agency. Christmas Week reminded Fox of his

second day in the colony, Cup Day, when everyone lost interest in commerce and

thought about a holiday instead. The partners were caught in the prevailing spirit and

decided to give up early and close the agency.

In spite of their slack business the streets were crowded with Christmas shoppers

and theatre goers. All the play houses were running matinees of their pantomimes

and Christmas variety shows. The footpaths in Swanston and Bourke Streets were

jammed with pedestrians so that some were forced reluctantly on to the dust and dirt

of the roadway itself.

"Don't worry, my boy," Pryor uttered enthusiastically, "this time next year we will all

be riding on trams and you will be able to forget the mud and slush, and dust blowing

everywhere. You're lucky you came to Melbourne just when it's about to get going

again. The nineteenth century is the century of progress and this is the place to be,

and we're in the box seat. Just you wait and see the progress of this town over the

next ten years; if we're not both of us filthy rich it'll be our own fault."

He rubbed his hands with delight at the prospect of wealth but it was time to go Two

more day to go and Christmas would be on them.