By KATH GANNAWAY
THERE was a lot to reminisce about when the Chandler ‘tribe’ came together at Seville on 13 October.
The Chandler name has a significant place in the history of the district with the Seville connections starting in 1928 when Alfred (Alf) Chandler and his new wife Helen (nee Register) moved from Boronia where his father Alfred Elliott Chandler had established an extensive bulb industry.
Alf and Helen moved to farming cattle and sheep but later returned to the family tradition growing daffodils and eucalypt for the florist industry.
They raised six children, Helen, Jan, Ethel, Jacqueline (deceased), Peter and Alfred (deceased), and embraced another strong family tradition, community service.
The reunion was held in the A H Chandler Pavilion at the Seville football ground, in Yarra Ranges Shire’s Chandler Ward.
Alf became a councillor with the Shire of Lilydale in 1942 and retired in 1979 in his mid-70s.
His son Peter said community involvement runs in the family.
His grandfather Alfred Elliott Chandler from Boronia and his uncle Sir Gilbert Chandler were both members of the Victorian Parliament.
Peter said being a local councillor grew to be a huge commitment starting with meeting once a month for an afternoon and moving in the ’50s to a whole day and requiring more and more time as the running of the shire and complex planning issues became more demanding.
The council was just one interest, however, with Alf receiving an MBE for services to the community including involvement in the hospital, Seville fire brigade, and the local football and cricket ground.
Peter said his mother was equally involved in the community playing a role in many of the organisations her husband was involved in including at Lilydale High School where students study in the Helen Chandler Library.
On a very rainy day, the A H Chandler Pavilion provided a warm shelter for the more than 300 family members including some who are still active in the Seville community today.
“Dad played football and cricket for Seville and in the late ’60s, along with many other willing volunteers they decided the footy ground change rooms needed changing and with lots of fundraising and volunteer labour they build the pavilion that stands today at little or no cost to the shire,” Peter said.
Another tradition which has continued on is service to the Seville Fire Brigade where Alf Chandler was captain for 25 years followed by his son-in-law Jack Glenn and now his nephew David Clark who is the current captain.
Peter said the family had remained close knit, making for a reunion where lots of wonderful memories were shared and the opportunity to catch up with old and new family members made for a noisy, happy time in the A H Chandler Pavilion.
