Historical information

Photographic portrait of Francis (Frank) Thomas Le Page. Frank is the oldest child of Nicholas and Rachel (nee Addy), who arrived in Melbourne in 1852 from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Nicholas was a tailor and Rachel was a dressmaker. They originally made their home in Prahran and set up a business but about two years later decided to take up market gardening.

Significance

The Le Page family bought property in the Two Acre Village, Cheltenham. They had nine other children. At 14 years of age Frank was driving his father’s horse and dray to Melbourne with the vegetables they grew - standing backed in to the footpath in Little Collins Street, at the old Eastern Market. At 18 years of age, and the other members of the family growing up, Francis decided to seek work outside, and was employed as a gardener by Mr Budd, who conducted the Brighton Grammar School. It was whilst employed there that the late Sir Thomas Bent and he became friends, a friendship which lasted throughout their lives. Sir Thomas was then on the land also. Frank was an active member of social and sporting groups in the region. In 1876 Frank married Mary Geraghty and they made Cheltenham their home. He became a councillor for the then Shire of Moorabbin, a position he held for 25 years, and in 1902 was elected President of the Shire of Moorabbin. He was also a Justice of the Peace and occupied the bench at the Cheltenham Court. The next generation of Le Pages continued to be heavily involved in the civic life of the region with Frank and Mary's son Everest being elected mayor twice.

Physical description

Black and white image of Francis (Frank) Thomas Le Page.