Time Travellers in Essendon, Flemington and the Keilor Plains

Businesses-Ascot-Vale

Percy H Judd, House and Land Agent, premises at  77 The Crescent, Ascot Vale, (not the current number) . 

Source: State Library of Victoria, 'Cheltenham Cycle Club Outings, ca 1897'. Actual date closer to 1906-07.

Photo by T J A Tinker, Moonee Ponds.   http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/295597

Percy H Judd, House and Land Agent, premises at  133 (now 119) Union Rd, Ascot Vale.

Source: State Library of Victoria, John Etkins Collection.  Circa 1906-07.

Photo by T J A Tinker, Moonee Ponds. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/73323

The earliest mention of Percy H Judd, house and land agent, is at his premises at 421 Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds -The Age on 28 March 1903.   The last reference in Trove to Percy Judd at 421 Mt Alexander Rd was in 1906. The photo of the building at The Crescent in Ascot Vale has a painted sign under the window saying "Also at 421 Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds."  This sign most likely wouldn't have long survived the giving up of the Mt Alexander Rd building, so it is probable that the photo was taken no later than 1907.

Detail of Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works detail plan. 1609, Town of Essendon

[cartographic material]. 1904.  This shows Elizabeth Street on the left, and the block at 421 still

vacant at this time.

This street plan from Google Maps shows Elizabeth St at the bottom of the screen with the block that was formerly

421 Mt Alexander Rd now numbered 511.  The Judd shop was demolished and Albert Hall, now the lighting shop,

erected in its place.

Also around 1906 Percy H Judd acquired the business premises at 133 Union Rd, (now 119) formerly operated by A G Blumfield, shown in the second photo above.  In this photo the name of A G Blumfield has been lightly crossed out.  Again, the crossed out name of Blumfield probably didn't long survive Judd taking over, so again the photo was probably taken no later than 1907.

The only two photos by TJA Tinker in the State Library Collection are both of Percy Judd's premises, and it seems likely they were taken on the same day.  Judd himself may have been the man in the bowler hat, who is wearing the same light coloured waistcoat with a notch at the waist, and some form of gaiter to stop his trousers getting caught in his bicycle chain.   Tinker lived in Ascot Vale Rd, not far from the Judd business in Mt Alexander Road.

The premises in the first photo of Percy H Judd, House and Land Agent was in The Crescent, Ascot Vale, opposite the Ascot Vale Railway Station.   Later Sands reveal this to be 77 The Crescent, Ascot Vale, now between St Leonard's Rd and No 63 The Crescent.  The first reference in Trove to this premises was in 1903.  Judd still had an office at this address in 1915, but was gone by 1920.

Advertisement from the Essendon Gazette, 1916.  Although suggesting the office was in

St Leonards Rd, the Sands & McDougall Directories continue to list the building in The Crescent.

Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works detail plan. 831, Town of Essendon [cartographic material], 1904.   http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/120792  MMBW plan detail showing the location of the Judd premises

which had not yet been built, between the previous numbers 7 and 13. Courtesy of Alex Bragiola.

The second photo showing the office at 131 (now 119) Ascot Vale, had been operated by real estate agents for some time.  In 1896 Henry G Hanna was there, and by 1904 A G Blumfield had taken over. Judd appears to have taken over by 1906 and was still listed in the Sands & McDougall Directories at that address in 1914.  Judd built two shops on the corner of St Leonards Rd and Union Rd, where the library now stands, and moved his premises to one of those buildings, then known as 177 Union Rd.

A detail from Google Maps showing the upper part of the Judd premises, now overburdened

with poles, signage and cables.  Image capture 2017.

Thanks to Alex Bragiola for his usual valuable assistance.