Walker and Langhorne Street, Dandenong, 1950-60

This view shows the intersection of Walker and Langhorne streets between 1950 and 1960, with Walker street running from left to right and Langhorne street running from top to bottom. On the lower corner can be seen the Wessex, with Maggs following at the bottom. The name of the business between Maggs and Wessex is unknown to us at this time.

The small hut on the upper corner was the Rest Hut (built in 1943), until late in 1953, the local branch of the R.S.L. met here. In November of 1953 they officially moved to their new rooms further up Walker Street. Sadly with the extensions of the Capital Centre, forming the Dandenong Plaza, Westwood was demolished, now forming part of the carpark.

With little tables, chairs, couches and easy chairs grouped about it, and a fire place in the centre of the room, the hall had been very comfortably furnished and was much admired. The land was supplied by Mr. Tom Caroll, as a generous offer of the use of the land on which the hut stood “to do as they liked, for as long as they liked.” With the locals working on it every Saturday afternoon for the four months it took to build.

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