Pearce Memorial Gates

Bacchus Marsh & District Historical Society Inc.

Bacchus Marsh Express 1922

Maddingley Park, the recreation ground for all Bacchus Marsh, has had some good, earnest workers on its behalf during the last decade, but none more sincere than the late Mr. T. G. Pearce, who had the welfare of these public gardens ever uppermost in his mind.

He was chairman of Trustees for its management for many years, and when he was called to rest, the duties of Trustee were taken up by his brother, Mr. E. Pearce, who also devoted much attention to- this public work, and it was during his term of office as a Trustee that the question of erecting a memorial in the Park to his late brother was discussed, and entrance gates at the railway side of the gardens were decided on. Then something unexpected happened—Mr. Ebenezer Pearce himself passed away. His son (Mr. Fred. C. Pearce) filled the vacant Trusteeship. The families of the two gentlemen named then combined forces and decided to elaborate the original Memorial Gates. The result is seen to-day—a very handsome gift to the Trustees of the Park and to the community, and a monument that will perpetuate the memory of two of the district’s best men.

The gates are constructed in fancy metal work, painted green and gold, and hung in reinforced concrete piers, 10ft. high, cement faced, and coloured cream; the pair of main gates (12 feet wide) are flanked with two passenger gates (4 feet wide), and these footways are flanked again with 20 feet wings, the whole making a crescent some 60 feet in width, interspersed with six 10 feet piers and two of 8 feet. The two central pillars will be surmounted with electric globes.

Over the main pair of gates are the words, in polished solid brass letters— “The T. G. and E. Pearce Memorial Gates.”

On a brass plate on one of the piers the following words explain to visitors and others, what the memorial represents:

“1922. This entrance was presented to Maddingley Park by the Pearce families, and stands as a memorial to the late T. G. and E. Pearce, who were Trustees for many years.”

The ceremony of officially handing the memorial over to the Trustees of the Park took place on Sunday afternoon last, in the presence of a large number of people….Mr. Alfred Pearce performed his part of the ceremony by asking Mr. J. A. Johns, as the present chairman of Trustees, to accept the gift on behalf of the two families.

Mr. Johns said he did so with pleasure, but at the same time he was sorry indeed that both Mr. T. G. and Mr. E. Pearce had passed away, as they were great enthusiasts for the Park, both by their personal and financial efforts. He sincerely thanked the two families for their very handsome gift. Mr. Johns also mentioned that this was not the first gift the Park had been fortunate in receiving, as there was the Evans pavilion, the Dickie bandstand and memorial lamp; the Staughton memorial seat; the Sloss drinking fountain; the Hodgson display fountain; Alford sun dial; and others, including the more recent gift from the local A.N.A.—the entrance gates at the northern end of the Park, which stood as a memorial to district soldiers. For all these gifts Mr. Johns said the Trustees were deeply thankful.

Miss M. I. Pearce and Miss Nellie Pearce (daughters of the two fathers who were that day being honoured) were then called upon to sever the white streamers across the main gates.

This they did, and threw them open to the large concourse, which then wended its way into the gardens to listen to a programme of music rendered by the Bacchus Marsh brass band, who also played a selection prior to the above ceremony.