Time Travellers in Essendon, Flemington and the Keilor Plains

Painted on the side of the building "E J Norris Estate Agent, Local Agent, Batavia Insurance Coy Ltd.  W Collins, Moonee Ponds."  Photo Lenore Frost 2017.

Building in Russell St, Essendon, looking south.  Photo Lenore Frost 2017.

A recent demolition in Russell St, Essendon, opposite Essendon Station, has revealed a long-hidden sign advertising the service of E J Norris, real estate agent and local agent for the Batavia Insurance Company.  

Edward James Norris lived in several local addresses around the station, including Robb St and Flower St.  His business premises, and possibly residence as well, was at 19 Russell St.   He died in 1923, as did the signwriter, William Gilbert Collins of Clarinda Rd, Moonee Ponds.  That puts the latest the sign could have been painted as 1923.

The earliest date for the sign may have been 1919.  In that year Edward James Norris was listed in the Electoral Roll at Devonport, Tasmania. 

The name Batavia caught my eye, being a place-name no longer in use.  It was the capital city of the Dutch East Indies until 1943 when it fell to the Japanese.  In 1945 it was renamed Jakarta by Indonesian Nationalists, and accepted by the international community in 1949.

Kali Bazaar, Old Batavia, photographed by Frank Hurley, in Lone Hand, New Series Vol. 1 No. 3 (2 February 1914) p 76.

Batavia became the center of the Dutch East India Company's trading network in Asia. Monopolies on nutmeg, black pepper, cloves and cinnamon were augmented by non-indigenous cash crops like coffee, tea, cacao, tobacco, rubber, sugar and opium. (See Wikipedia)

The Batavia Sea & Fire Insurance Co.Ltd was incorporated in Java, and was still operating as late as 1954 when Trove runs out of puff.  It celebrated its Centenary in 1943 while Batavia was still in Japanese hands.

BATAVIA INSURANCE CO.'s CENTENARY (1943, January 18). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 7. 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17833483