Gibson's Paddock Land Sale
Whalley & Glanfield Streets
Gibson’s Paddock was the name given to an area of real estate in Northcote which was advertised for sale around the period of 1912 – 1913.
It is almost certain that the estate was named after George Gibson, a local Dairy farmer who had built up an extensive property portfolio and owned acres of land in the immediate area. According to his will (1914) he rented out many houses in Mitchell Street and nearby streets, had a Dairy Farm of over 5 acres and also owned over 2 acres in Derby Street.
Many years earlier, a letter sent to The Argus newspaper in 1880 from a correspondent named only as ‘A Sufferer’ wanted to add their comments to others about ‘existing nuisances’ in Northcote. The letter writer referred to ‘a paddock occupied by dairyman Gibson’ which he says is ‘surrounded by dwellings and that the stench from the night soil there deposited during the early hours of every morning, enters the most of them to an extent that compels the unfortunate occupiers to get up to burn tobacco, rags etc. in order to expel the abomination from their bedrooms – a fact disgraceful to all concerned! Can the local authorities give any resident permission in the present year of grace, to thus endanger the health of his neighbours in the manner described? I trust not’.
In 1913 an auction sale by local agents, Stott and Bastings, offered for sale 76 allotments at Gibson’s Paddock. The sale offered ‘very easy terms’ of £1 deposit and a balance of £1 monthly over three years, with 5% interest.
The estate had frontages on Separation, Mitchell, Whalley and Glanfield Streets, boasting ‘made streets’ and was in easy reach of public transport with only a 5minute walk to High Street Cable Tram. Northcote and Westgarth railway stations were also only 7 minutes’ walk away.
At this time, the population of Northcote was increasing rapidly and local landowners would have been selling land to accommodate new estates and developments.
In 1923 a further 31 allotments were released for sale as Gibson’s Estate expanded into Thames Street. An advertisement in The Herald newspaper described the allotments as having ‘splendid frontages’ and ‘noble depths’. By this time the deposit was now £2 and 10 shillings with quarterly repayments and 6% interest. The advert boasted that the ‘new Simpson Street railway station’ (Dennis Station) was only10 minutes’ walk away.
Northcote Nuisances. Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 4 February 1880, page 7
Auctions. Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 19 November 1913, page 3
Auctions. Herald (Melbourne, Vic: 1861 - 1954), Friday 15 June 1923, page 16
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne and Suburban Directory 1864- 1974. (1974). Melbourne, Australia: Sands & McDougall.
Victoria Wills & Probate. Accessed from Find My Past.
Digital copies of land sale posters donated by Jeanette Jones.