1. Hardy Family and early Clyde
| This is a short, and probably very incomplete, history of the Hardy family and their connection with Clyde North from about 1855 to 1960. In the first instance, in common with all the Country adjacent to Port Phillip, the land had been taken up in large areas by squatters, but in the late 1840s or early 1850s the land was surveyed and sub-divided in to much smaller areas. Generally speaking land in Clyde was available in 160 acre lots. In some instances smaller areas of 20 acres were sold.. A piece of land facing Clyde-Berwick road was originally sub-divided into village allotments. This was later absorbed into the Hardy farm "Glenalbyn". The Naming of Clyde and Clyde North The district was originally known as "The Clyde" it was later shortened to Clyde; but was usually referred to by residents of the larger village of Cranbourne as "Sleepy Hollows" .The name "Clyde North" was not given until many years later when a small township had grown adjacent to the Clyde Railway Station. A school, church and a general store and post office having been established there it was found necessary to have some distinction of the two localities. This was brought about without a good deal of ill feeling, but the Postal department settled the matter by re-naming the old Clyde Post Office- Clyde North. The Post Office had, until quite recent years been located at the State School: and successive School masters had automatically taken the position of Post Master. Clyde North School No 118 The State School No.118, was established in 1856 and its Centenary celebrations were attended by old scholars from many parts of Australia. There were probably two schools built of local materials before the present one of brick. There were probably a number of teachers also, but I know the names of only two of the early ones Mr Noble and Mr T A Twyford who taught there continuously for about 40 years. He was followed by S Jenkins, V. Peters, S Cantwell and many others. |
Early Churches
in Clyde The present Church of England, the Public Hall and School stand on the original sites. A Methodist church erected about 1/4 of a mile north of the other buildings in 1860 is no longer in existence. This was on a block adjoining Dee's south boundary. The Church of England was destroyed by fire in 1906 but was re-erected free of debt in about a year. 
Mrs Emily Hardy, (1832-1893) at 60 years of age Hardy’s History in Clyde The Hardy family's connection with Clyde North began in about 1855. Embling Hardy was born at Birmingham in England in 1830. His wife formerly Emily Gregory was born at Market Harborough in 1832. They were married at Kiddminster on May 5th 1853 and left for Australia immediately after the marriage. After their arrival here, they lived at Diamond Hill near Dandenong for a time , where their first child John was born in January 1855. Shortly after that they obtained land at Clyde, and shifted there, onto what is the original farm 'Glenalbyn'. They built a small house on a 20 acre block south of the present Hardy's Road, but later took, and built a house upon, a larger piece of ground north of the road. This block was originally about 260 acres, but he transferred 80 acres to a brother who had arrived from England. This land was later sold by his brother to John Murphy and still forms part of the original Murphy property now owned by the Dee family whose grand parents were the Murphy.’s |