IN part two of the Review history series, we acknowledge the Kilmore Historical Society for adding a new plaque to Kilmore’s earliest utility site -14 Sydney Street, and also the Inland Rail Project for funding its cost.
On August, 16, 1963 The Kilmore Memorial Hall was opened by His Excellency, The Governor Of Victoria, Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe.
Previously, its site was used to house machinery to generate electricity.
Its plaque reads… 14 Sydney Street
Site of the Former Kilmore Power House.
Kilmore established street lighting in 1858 (kerosene lanterns followed later by gas); it took much longer for an electricity supply to become available.
The Kilmore Electric Supply Company was formed in 1907 by Thomas Hunt, PF Egan and others.
In September 1908 the lights were turned on in Kilmore.
The first power plant was located on this site, a portion of the former Town Market Reserve.
By 1916, the Electric Light Company was in financial difficulty and subsequently sold the business to the Shire of Kilmore.
Over time a number of power generators were purchased and replaced to manage the increasing electricity use, unreliability and noise pollution.
November 1, 1956, was proclaimed a half holiday in Kilmore Shire when the State Electricity Commission connected Kilmore to the Victorian power grid.
The Power House was demolished in 1960 and provided a central space on Sydney Street for the Soldiers Memorial Hall.
A committee member of the Kilmore Historical Society, Rose King said Kilmore’s early notables were interesting people and noise and pollution was a community concern.
“Thomas Hunt was the owner of the free press, and editor until almost up until his death in 1934,” she said.
“Even in the 50’s the latest [power] model created considerable noise and pollution which apparently could be heard at times in Kilmore East.”
In J A Maher’s second edition of Kilmore 1837-1937 The Tale of a Century— A history of Victoria’s Oldest Inland Town, Patrick ‘Pat’ Francis Egan is known as the first secretary to be appointed to the Kilmore Shire on a crest bearing 1856.
“No record of municipal affairs at Kilmore and Pyalong would be complete without some pronounced reference to P F Egan,” he wrote.
“This worthy man first took office with the Kilmore Shire Council as Assistant Secretary. A few years later he qualified as Secretary by passing the necessary examinations…P F Egan acted in the capacity of Secretary for the Shire of Kilmore and the neighbouring Shire of Pyalong and was marked by a high degree of efficiency.”
