Old courthouse sold

By Jim Mynard
THE sale of the former Berwick courthouse for more than $1 million on Wednesday, 7 September created a little nostalgia.
Auctioneer Michael Hall, who called the bids, said the property sold for $1,1550,000.
Mr Hall said the interests of Andrew Gray and George Dore won the bidding.
“Spirited bidding demonstrated the strong competition in the Berwick Village commercial sector,” he said.
Cyril Molyneux, the last Justice of the Peace to sit for an official court case said he was surprised at the bidding.
Bill Hudson was also among the last JPs to sit on the Berwick bench.
The old courthouse now serves as one of Berwick’s finest restaurants, but also served well on one occasion when Berwick artists conducted an arts festival during the early 1980s.
The courthouse was used for a cigar box painting exhibition and presentation of a mock trial.
Fred McCubbin wrote the script which created considerable interest.
Members of the then Western Port Theatre Company, now Windmill Theatre Company, provided the cast.
Mr Molyneux, who auctioned the old Post Office section of the corner property, said when he heard the auctioneer open the bidding for the courthouse at $800,000 he was surprised.
“I thought that would be the end of the call, but it went to more than $1 million.
“The building has a great restaurant, nicely appointed.
“The purchasers now own the entire property and that is good value for them, but it sounds like Tattslotto figures to me.”
Mr Molyneux said that when he auctioned the old Post Office the bidding began higher than the reserve.
He said he and Bill Hudson were the only two JPs still living who served on the Berwick bench.
“My first sitting was with the late Norman Beaumont and Albert Tonks.
“Most of our cases were traffic, petty thefts, assaults, burglary, drunkenness and domestic problems.
“One case I recall was a committal proceeding for some fellows who desecrated the Berwick cemetery.
“I thought they had a case to answer and sent them on to the County Court were they were dealt with.
“I served on the Children’s Court and that was at times heart wrenching.
“The experience helped me to learn about the workings of the police and I came to respect them through that,” he said.
Mr Molyneux said he was pleased to see the wonderful old buildings being preserved.