Greensborough Diamond Valley Choral Society walk
Greensborough Diamond Valley Choral Society walk
The Diamond Valley Choral Society began singing for the Greensborough and district communities nearly 100 years ago. The Partington and Cordner families were always associated with the choir.
Summary
The Diamond Valley Choral Society began singing for the Greensborough and district communities nearly 100 years ago. The Partington and Cordner families were always associated with the choir.
Description
The earliest Diamond Valley Choral Society performances were part of local church events, starting with Greensborough’s first services in 'Meagher’s Barn'. This barn was located north of the end of Jessop St between the current railway line and the Plenty River, on Wurundjeri land.
We start our walk here from the Old Greensborough Cemetery where Jessie Partington’s father William James (died 1941) is buried, along with her aunts and an uncle. Her mother was Annie May Partington nee Medhurst, who died in 1965. All the family were singers.
We head towards Greensborough Plaza then up the hill in the Circuit to Greensborough Primary School and cross into Main St. Here is the All Saints Anglican Church where local physician Dr Ed Cordner showed an 'untiring interest' in the local choirs in the 1930s.
Continuing down Main St to the site of the old Methodist Church, we find the photographs of it at the entry to the Plaza. Partingtons were always associated with the Methodist Church. Jessie Partington (born in 1911) married Gordon Scholes in the Methodist Church in 1935. Both of them sang in the choir there.
Greensborough Historical Society has placed plaques along here.
Cross at the pedestrian lights and head along the walkway past Water Marc towards Dr Ed Cordner's beautiful home at the corner of Eldale Rd and Grimshaw Street.
The home is behind a large cypress hedge and it served as his surgery from 1933, with Eva Partington working as the receptionist for 30 years, and her sister Jessie Partington (1911-1999) organising choral events with Dr Ed Cordner from 1926. Jessie remained with the choir into her eighties.
Dr Cordner's home became the site of the annual Greensborough Christmas Carols from the 1930s, with the choir assembled on the second floor balcony and the community sitting on rugs on the lawn. Val Lennie (born in 1930) became a leading organiser and performer for the DVCS following Jessie’s mentoring.
Val played the organ and conducted the DVCS performances at the All Saints Church and often at St John's Anglican Church Heidelberg, in the 1970s and 1980s.
DVCS celebrated its 50th Jubilee year in 1976.
The DVCS performed all over Melbourne but particularly in the local area, singing at Festivals, Citizenship Ceremonies, Watsonia RSL singalongs and at several Retirement Villages. See historical collections here.
Some of the DVCS transformed into the Diamond Valley Singers in 1984, and they put on musicals to raise funds for charity. DVCS members also sing at the Family Festival of Carols which has now been held at St Mary's Catholic Church in Grimshaw St for the last 30 years.
666 Views
Points of Interest
1. Old Greensborough Cemetery Jessop St
Old Greensborough cemetery – this is near where the original Greensborough Methodist services were held at Meagher's Barn, north of the current railway line. This cemetery was used from 1863 - 1978.
2. Towards Greensborough Plaza Shopping Centre
Wander east along Hailes St, then south around the Circuit up to the Greensborough Primary School. The original school building is certified by the National Trust, and was completed in 1879.
3. Greensborough Primary School
The school originally had about 30 pupils, including the Partington children. They walked up the hill from their home on the other side of the river, crossing on an old sturdy log.
4. All Saints Church
Cross carefully at the lights and walk down Main St to All Saints Church. From 1889 there was a Church, a school and a vicarage in weatherboard buildings here. Their choir sang at charity events.
5. Old Methodist Church site, entrance to Greensborough Plaza
The Methodist Church was constructed in 1872 from clay bricks dug from the gully where Water Marc now sits. The Church remained here until the mid 1970s, when Greensborough Plaza complex was built.
6. Walkway past Water Marc to Dr Cordner's home 'Ashmead'
Behind the big cypress hedge is Dr Cordner's former home. DVCS Christmas Carols events were held here, with community members congregating on the lawns sitting on rugs and holding bright candles.
7. Living Faith Church opposite former Diamond Valley Hospital site
Just east of here is Living Faith Church where Rev Peter Robson, was one of the clergy from 1984 -1990. He was a very keen chorister and composed ‘The Cradle Valley Carol’ in 1989 with Val Lennie.
8. Eldale St corner and Dr Ed Cordner's home
From 'Ashmead', the Cordner's home, there was once an uninterrupted view north across the Plenty river bridge towards the tree covered hills. The hedge was grown to block out strong northerly winds.
9. Past Water Marc swimming centre to the Main St shops again
Wander up the hill back to the Henry St, Circuit traffic lights past the old Greensborough hotel site, which from 1860, was on the Church St corner opposite All Saints Church.
10. War Memorial Park - cross carefully to Woolworths and then head south
At the Memorial Park we remember veterans like Dr Ed Cordner - who served as a doctor in WWI - and his sons who enlisted in WWII, as did the Partington men and many more locals since then.
11. Veterans War Memorial wooden sculptures down Ester St
At the west end of Memorial Park are stunning new wooden sculptures by Leigh Conkie and master Japanese carver Hikaru Kodama which were unveiled in 2018. They replaced a previous set of sculptures.
12. Sculpture park and football oval
To the west of the oval are all the beautiful memorials to the Australian War Veterans. There is a Light Horse statue, a Pilot, a Sailor, a Vietnam soldier, a carving of a Tracker Dog and others.
13. Carefully cross Grimshaw St
See if you can find the kookaburra carved at the foot of one of the statues - after a rest, retrace your steps in Ester St and past Woolworths, crossing north to walk west along Grimshaw St.
14. Greensborough Fire and Police stations
On busy Grimshaw St are the local Fire Rescue station and Police station. We are heading back now down Jessop St towards the Cemetery where we started out.
15. Jessop St and the Bob Fell Reserve
A walking path into Fell Reserve is off Jessop St near the Lorimer St roundabout. This lovely park might serve as another rest stop. Greensborough is very well placed for parkland and river walks.
16. Completed loop of Diamond Valley Choral Society walk
For nearly 100 years the Greensborough community has enjoyed the singing of DVCS members including Christmas Carols, which have been held now at St Mary's Church in Grimshaw St for the last 30 years.
Features
Playground
Seating available
Public toilets
Art and culture
Park / Garden
