The following tours of Northcote give insightful glimpses of the district.
Many houses and estates are sadly no longer.
Four tours - 1857, 1872, 1884, & 1885 - give a glimpse of Northcote before the late 1880s building boom and the transformation of the district. Still farms. Prior to this there were grand houses (occasional mentioned) with large plots of land. Estates are mentioned referring to the breaking up of these large plots. Sutherland in particular laments on past sporting grounds. FHM gives a more personal insight into daily life as a child.
Note: The attached files are PDF documents.
1857
In 1933 as part of Northcote's Jubilee year the Leader newspaper published this early remembrance of Northcote. It is reproduced here with end notes.
1874
Not strictly a tour.
FHM (Cr H F Mitchell) wrote his childhood 'Reminiscences of Northcote From 1872' for the 1933 Jubilee.
Insights into pre railway Northcote life.
1884
Whilst not a tour. Sutherland's description from 1884 should be looked at. Located at About.
1885
W G Swift, Northcote's first Town Clerk, wrote its history in 1928. He describes a 'Tour Through the District in 1885' here. Apologies for poor quality scans of pics and large file.
1900
Rechabite 1900 Tour Here.
1908
Northcote Council made an inspection of the district - 'Beating the Bounds'. For the first time it is reproduced here.
1933
This tour was done by motorcar during the Northcote Jubilee Celebrations.
Tour is here in PDF.
1939
Goodwill Tour by Mayor - Cr French Inspects Northcote Industries
Twelve businesses were selected for this tour in 1939. Interestingly it includes some of the ‘noxious’ industries of the time including dye-works, brickmaking and leather making. These businesses were some of the biggest in Northcote at the time.
Endnotes to follow later.
PDF is here.
page updated 18 Dec 2018