Town icon is 100

By Danielle Galvin
DEWHURST’S leading lady will celebrate her 100th birthday this Friday.
Frances Bishop, who resides at the View Hills Manor in Endeavour Hills, is celebrating her special day with a party at the retirement village.
Her son-in-law Alex Burgess says Frances is a particularly well-known woman for her part in naming the town of Dewhurst between Beaconsfield Upper and Emerald.
“Frances was involved in the original selection of the name,” Alex said.
“At the progress meeting they gave her the casting vote,” he said.
In 1923, the town was still known as North Beaconsfield. Suggestions for the new name included Keepas, Aerial and Dewhurst.
Residents formed a progress association to help shape the identity of the town and to decide on a name that didn’t sound like a Beaconsfield appendage.
Residents had cast an equal number of votes for the town to be named Keepas or Dewhurst.
The chairman of the meeting, Mr Wayne, asked 12-year-old Frances to make the choice. “She chose Dewhurst,” Alex said.
Frances married her neighbour Alex Bishop some years later and they moved to Berwick.
Most of the original district is covered by the Cardinia Dam, but Dewhurst’s leading lady is still an impressive homeage to the town.