August 29th, 2024A tree to honour Clarence at Kingston Ave
Just in time to catch the first stirrings of spring, a very special tree planting took place in the famed Avenue of Honour at Kingston on Saturday, August 10.
The newly grafted elm that was planted on Saturday replaces a mature elm that had reached the end of its life and, on arborist’s advice, had been removed with a new hole dug for its successor.
The original elm tree – and now its new replacement – honour and remember one Clarence Albert Norman, a former young Newlyn blacksmith who served in both World War I and World War II.
Descendant members of Mr Norman’s family travelled from far and wide for Saturday’s special replacement planting organised by the Friends of Kingston Avenue in partnership with the Hepburn Shire Council.
“Clarence Albert Norman was born in 1893 and he was a blacksmith in Newlyn, married, who at 21 years of age enlisted on the fifteenth of July in 1915,” says Claire Rowlands, vice president of the Friends.
“Clarence Norman’s name is on the Newlyn Primary School Honour Roll. Clarence was discharged from the army on the fifth of April in 1919. He later served in the Second World War, and he died at the age of 68 in 1961.”
The former Shire of Creswick Avenue in Kingston was heritage listed in 2015 and has become a much-admired feature of the local landscape.
“It’s one of the most significant Avenues in Victoria,” Claire says.
If Clarence was looking down on Saturday’s tree planting he would have seen his family represented by his three grandsons, three of his four granddaughters, and other family members all proudly thinking of him.
The day was also significant as, being August 10, it was the very same day that way back in 1918 the local community came together to plant the original 225 Avenue trees to commemorate WWI men and women associated with the former Shire of Creswick.
And then in 1919, an additional 61 trees were planted on August 9, making a total of 286 trees in the historic Avenue.
Kingston Friends of the Avenue president Julie Baulch says the new young elm was planted with the assistance of a state government Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenues of Honour grant.
It was also planted with an application of beneficial microbial inoculants.
“Eight other trees have also been removed, having reached their usual life expectancy, and will also be replaced in the near future as part of our Tree Management Plan,” Claire says.
A tree to honour Clarence at Kingston Ave With these additional replacement plantings planned ahead, the Friends are now seeking family connected to the other eight trees.
They are family of: L.E. Coulson, F.F. Crisp, S. McGard, C.J. Finlayson, W. McPherson, E.E. Owens, C.R. Toll and R.W. Waddington.
Families of the above listed soldiers honoured in the Avenue are being invited to contact kfoa gmail.com
Words: Eve Lamb
