Hiawatha 6 The Avenue Balaclava

An auction notice in the Argus of 9 Oct 1869 describes a house belonging to "Leopold Wagner's Capua Villa , who in 1868 was described as " ..of Lonsdale Street West .... , Jeweller"The beautifully finished cemented brick residence, with slate roof & verandah front & back, in William St, East St Kilda. Drawing room, dining room, breakfast & sitting rooms, butler's pantry, entrance hall 8ft wide, 3 servants' rooms etc. On 7 acres of which 4 acres has been laid out in orchard, kitchen & flower gardens, vineyard, croqet lawn, carriage drive & walks, all laid out in the most exquisite taste. Artificial pond teeming with gold fish, & 2 handsome fountains to which the Yan Yean can be supplied, as pipes are laid all over the house & grounds."

1871 Land titles confirm that Alfred Shaw took over about an acre of land on what is now the south side of The Avenue running back from Hotham Street.  

1871 Sands & McDougall directory show A Shaw as residing as William St, St Kilda. 

1873 Vardy Maps show A Shaw as the owner of Capua Villa. He purchased a second block from Heinrich Leopold Wagner. 

1874 A Shaw purchased the adjoining seven acres giving him ownership of both sides of the current Avenue: a bit less than two acres on the northern Hotham Street corner.  Could he also have acted as the Italian consul? It is interesting to note that the Austrian Consul and businessman (FN: various refs to Lange and Thoneman NZ, Tas, Vic), Emil Thoneman, had a house close by in Brighton Road at around this time (FN: S&M 1869-1870).