| David Ernest Vaughan b. 1883 photo taken 21 Nov 1911 |
David Ernest Vaughan was born in 1884 at Kensington, Victoria, Australia; registered Hotham.1
He was the son of Daniel Vaughan and Mary Hamilton.
David Ernest Vaughan married Bridget Ellen (Nellie) Gaynor, daughter of Thomas Gaynor and Bridget (Patsy) Sheehy, in 1911 at North Melboure.2
David Ernest Vaughan died on 19 November 1935, at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.3
David was buried at at Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton.
In 1911 David Ernest Vaughan was a cartage contractor. In between 1911 and 1935 David Ernest Vaughan and Bridget Ellen (Nellie) Gaynor were living at at 'Kildimo", Albert Road, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Research Notes:
David Ernest Vaughan and his partner, Lodge Bros., were the successful tenderers for the Shrine of Remembrance on St. Kilda Road, Melbourne. The story of the building of the Shrine can be found in We Will Remember Them: the Shrine of Remembrance written by W.B. Russell.
THE SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE WAS BUILT BETWEEN JULY 1928 AND NOVEMBER 1934 IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO SERVED AND THOSE WHO DIED IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-1918. WITH ITS ASSOCIATED MEMORIALS IT COMMEMORATES ALSO THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF VICTORIA WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR 11, AND IN MALAYA, KOREA AND VIETNAM. THE, INSCRIPTION ON THE WESTERN WALL OF THE SHRINE CARRIES THIS ELOQUENT APPEAL:
LET ALL MEN KNOW THAT THIS IS HOLY GROUND THIS SHRINE ESTABLISHED IN THE HEARTS OF MEN AS ON THE SOLID EARTH COMMEMORATES A PEOPLE'S FORTITUDE AND SACRIFICE YE THEREFORE THAT COME AFTER GIVE REMEMBRANCE
More than half a century ago the school-children of Victoria, although much fewer in number than at present, raised the equivalent of over $18000 to help build the Shrine of Remembrance. This leaflet will help you to understand why the Shrinee was built, and give you some information about the design, the materials, the construction and setting-and perhaps make you think carefully about what it means to you.
This leaflet is authorized by the Trustees of the Shrine of Remembrance, in co-operation with Melbourne Legacy, for free distribution to secondary school students visiting the Shrine
The Story
Hundreds of thousands of people note with increasing daily interest the progress the Shrine of Remembrance. Mr David Ernest Vaughan, the senior partner of Vaughan and Lodge, the builders, has told an absorbing story of the mechanics of the construction work. Mr Vaughan and the four Lodge brothers who are connected with the firm, are all returned soldiers, and the work for them is far more than one of profit, it is the subject of interested and pride
Why was The Shrine Built?
From the 4th of August, 1914, to the 11th of November, 1918, Australia's decence forces were heavily engaged in The Great War, which it was hoped would end all wars. From Australia's small population of five million, 360,000 of her finest young men and women volunteered for overseas service. Of these, 60,000 were killed and most of the others suffered from wounds, poison gas, loss of limbs, sight or hearing, or some damage to health. From Victoria, 114,000 enlisted and 89,100 served overseas. Of these 19,000 did not return.
The people of Victoria felt that their debt to these volunteers, who had defended them at such great costs to themselves and their families, should be recognized by a worthy permanent monument of remembrance. The cost of such a memorial was estimated at £250,000, which would be more than $6,000,000 in our money in 1980. The Melbourne City Council and the State Government made large contributions, but the greater part had to be raised by contributions from the people of Victoria. Although the country was faced with frightful unemployment and financial difficulty in the late 1920s and the 1930s, so great was the gratitude of the people that the huge amount was raised or promised within six months from the opening of the appeal in 1928.
Why was the Present Site Selected?
The present site was selected from twenty-three sites suggested by the people. It was chosen because it was close to the centre of Victoria's capital city but not smothered by its noise and bustle. It was visible from most suburbs at that time. Ships coming up the western channel of Port Phillip Bay and up the main reach of the Yarra steered straight towards it. It stood on the sky-line so that from the heart of the City people would raise their eyes to the Monument. The sub-committee which chose the site comprised General Sir John Monash, Mr. F. Tate and Mr. A. S. Baillieu and three Government representatives.
The Design
The design was selected by competition among Australasian artists and architects at home and abroad. Eighty-three designs were submitted including a number from overseas. The adjudication of the competition was carried out by General Sir John Monash and the respective Presidents of Institutes of Architects for Australia and Victoria, Mr. J. Godsell and Mr. A. K. Henderson. The winning design, by two Melbourne returned-soldier architects, Philip Hudson and James Wardrop, was for the Shrine of Remembrance. The inspiration for the external outline came from one of the seven wonders of the ancient world-the memorial at Halicarnassos to Mausolus, King of Caria in Southern Greece. This is a very proper tribute to the Ancient Greeks because of their brave decence of their democracy against foreign tyranny; and because their architecture has inspired architects for centuries by its beauty and dignity. In form it is a truncated stepped pyramid on a terraced base, topped by an eye of light and a symbol of glory derived from an Ancient Greek prize for artistic performance in time of peace. Externally it is decorated by four statue groups or buttresses, representing Peace and Goodwill, justice, Sacrifice and Patriotism. The first of these was the choice of the school-children's representatives. These and the carvings over the north and south entrances — in the tympana — were designed and executed under the direction of the distinguished sculptor, Paul Montford. The northern group represents the call to arms, showing the warriors offering their services, the poet symbolizing the songs and music inseparable from war, the wild beasts of war held in leash, the mother and children and the old men maintaining civilian occupations. At the southern end, the home-coming is represented by a youth returning from overseas on the horses of Neptune and bearing the fruits of victory. The eastern side represents industry and agriculture, and the western side education and the arts and sciences. Around the terraces memorial discs carry the names of great battles in which our soldiers fought so bravely and suffered so heavily. Twelve graceful urns stand for symbolic eternal remembrance of our honoured dead.
Because of its artistic proportions its great size may not be appreciated. It was stated by the Vice-Chairman of the Imperial War Graves Commission that it was on a grander scale than any memorial on the western front. It would almost fill the entire playing space of the Melbourne Cricket Ground or the area of a City block.
The Inner Shrine follows the outer structure, its lofty tapering roof suggesting the raising of our thoughts and feelings to nobler levels. It provides a shrine to which those who have lost loved ones may come at special times of remembrance. It also provides for ceremonies of remembrance by the community and by ex-Service groups remembering their departed comrades. In the centre is the Stone of Remembrance on which are inscribed the words, GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN. Understood, though not written, is the thought, 'than to lay down his life for those he loves'. To read the words on the Stone every head must bow.
Around the Inner Shrine are friezes designed by Lyndon R. Dadswell representing the part played in the war by the Infantry, the Air Force, the Navy, the Camel Corps and Light Horse, the Artillery, the Engineers and Tunnelers, the Transport and Supply Services, and the Medical Corps including the Nursing Services.
A special feature is the Ray of Light. Thanks to the combined skills of the astronomer, the mathematician and the surveyor this falls on the word LOVE on the Stone of Remembrance at 11 a.m. on the 11th. of November (Eastern Standard Time), and will continue to do so for 5,000 years at least. No other known memorial has such a remarkable feature. The time and date mark the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the Great War by what was called the Armistice (meaning a stay of armed conflict). In recent years, the introduction of 'Summer Time' has made it necessary to use an arrangement of mirrors to cause the ray to fall on the Stone at 11 a.m. (Eastern Summer Time), when a special ceremony of remembrance is held. This makes it possible for others to see the ray fall directly on the Stone at 12 noon (Summer Time). Schools could apply to the Secretary of the Shrine of Remembrance Trustees, Town Hall, Melbourne, to arrange for groups to view this wonderful happening.
Around the Inner Shrine are walk-ways called ambulatories, where the names (without rank) of all those who enlisted in the Great War are recorded on parchment in forty-two books of remembrance, of which a page is turned every day. The eastern and western walls are draped with the official flags of the navy, army and air force and the mercantile marine. The New Zealand national flag and a Union lack from Great Britain have been included.
Beneath the Inner Shrine is the Crypt, where the titles of all Units which took part in the Great War are recorded, together with their regimental badges, as well as the names of all Australian Navy Ships lost in action. In World War I, the Flying Corps, which grew into the Air Force, was part of the Army. In later years, many Army Units have laid up their regimental colours in the Crypt; and a bronze father and son monument by Raymond Ewers has been set up to link the service given in two world wars.
The Materials
The exterior of the monument is built of granite, which was selected for its beauty and durability. In more recent years the upper section has been over-laid with copper to prevent water-penetration of the very old mortar between the granite blocks. The granite was quarried at Tynong in Gippsland. The freestone for the interior walls came from Redesdale near Kyneton, the sandstone for the friezes from Hawkesbury in New South Wales, and the marble
Details of the family of David E. and Ellen (nee Gaynor) Vaughan have been compiled information supplied by Mrs. Ellen (Nell) Quigg, a letter from the Melbourne General Cemetery and the death notice that appeared in the Sun following the death of David Augustine (known as Austin) Vaughan on the 22nd December, 1985. David Augustine was the second son of David Ernest.4
