Wonderful Western District Women Part 3

March 8, 2018March 18, 2020 / Merron Riddiford / Leave a comment

On International Women’s Day 2017, I posted the first Wonderful Western District Women post followed by a second later in March, Women’s History Month. Today is International Women’s Day 2018 so it’s time for another edition. Each post looks further into the lives of Western District women I’ve come across while writing the Passing of the Pioneers posts. This time there are three women featured, Eliza Malseed, Edith Davey and Mary Learmonth. Eliza lived in an isolated area of Victoria’s far south-west coast while Edith lived in another isolated area, further east on the coast near the Twelve Apostles. Both endured the hardships of living in such places and displayed independence enabling them to endure. Mary Learmonth’s life was more comfortable, but not only was she a great sportswoman she was a champion of causes, a dedicated worker for those less fortunate than herself. Remember to click on any of the underlined text for further information.

MALSEED, Eliza Ann (c1836-1920)

Eliza Ann Malseed was born in Donegal, Ireland around 1836 to James Malseed and Ann Thompson. In 1855, Eliza and her brother James and her cousin, also James Malseed arrived at Portland aboard the Blanche Moore. An older brother John had arrived in Portland in 1849. Eliza lived in Gawler Street until she married her cousin James around 1859 and they settled at Glenorchy at the foot of Mount Richmond an extinct volcano in an isolated about twenty kilometres to the west of Portland. Their first child was born in 1860. Eliza had a further nine children.

It was a harsh life and Eliza and her young children were often left alone while James was away in Portland. She had many travellers pass her door looking for food on their way to Mount Gambier giving her many tales to recount. When remembering those days she would say,”The Lord was my shepherd”. Bushfires were frequent and the family were lucky not to lose their home in 1864. There were other dangers too. At different times in December 1878, James and one his daughters received snake bites. On each occasion, James cut out the flesh around the wound and sucked the venom out. Both somehow survived. James wrote a letter to the Portland Guardian to tell the story, published on 7 January 1879.

Eliza was a Wesleyan Methodist and attended the Mount Richmond Methodist Church which opened in 1876 and she was very active within the church community. In 1902, James fell ill and on his doctor’s advice, he moved to Portland closer to medical care. James died there on 26 July 1902. Several years later, Eliza went to live at Rose Villa, Myamyn, the home of her daughter. Eliza died there on 11 August 1920 aged eighty-four and was remembered in her obituary below.

“Obituary.” Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953) 26 August 1920: 3 (EVENING.). Web. 6 Mar 2017.

DAVEY, Edith (1861-1939)

Edith Davey was born at Port Fairy in 1861 a daughter of Robert Davey and Ann Phillips. Edith had a sister, Annie five years older than herself. Another sister Emily was born in 1858 but she died a year after Edith’s birth. The Davey family left Port Fairy and made their way to the Port Campbell/Princetown district. They selected land on the Great Ocean Road, between the Loch Ard Gorge and the current Twelve Apostles Viewing area. They also had the use of the land down to the cliff tops below.

THE TWELVE APOSTLES, PORT CAMPBELL.

The Daveys named their property Edgecombe. Their neighbour to the west was Hugh Gibson of Glenample, co-owned by Peter MacArthur of Merringoort. It was at Glenample in 1878 Tom Pearson arrived to raise the alarm of the wreck of the Loch Ard. Fellow survivor Eva Carmichael stayed at Glenample for several weeks while recovering. Robert Davey was a trustee of the Loch Ard Gorge Cemetery, the burial place of the victims of the wreck. It was an isolated area but from around the end of the 1800s, the mail-coach passed via Edgecombe as it travelled between Princetown and Port Campbell and continued to do so for around twenty years.

Each of the Davey’s acquired more land in the Port Campbell/Princetown district. In 1888, Edith applied for a grant to buy land in the Princetown township and was successful and in 1889, she applied to lease 720 acres. It was tough times though with a drought and impending depression. By 1892, the rent for Edith’s lease was in arrears. Her worries continued through the decade and in 1897, the local Land Board ruled she must pay five rent installments at once and the balance in three months.

The Daveys attended St Luke’s Church of England at Princetown where Edith was the organist. She played the piano and sang at many concerts in the district over the years. Sometimes she sang duets with her sister Annie. In 1896, at a concert at the Presbyterian Church in Princetown, Edith played a piano duet with a local boy and she later sang “The Holy City” in “her usual pleasing manner”. During May 1904, Edith was presented with a gold and pearl brooch set and a book “Sanctuary Series of Voluntaries” for her many years of service as the organist of St Luke’s Church, Princetown.

Like her sister Edith, Annie Davey never married and like Edith acquired several properties. When she reached her fifties, Annie began experiencing some ill-health and in 1910, the once active woman was described as “despondent”. Annie planned a holiday but on the day she was due to leave in August 1910, her body was found in a waterhole at the back of the property. She was forty-seven at the time. Annie died intestate and that prompted her father Robert to write a will, leaving everything to Edith. Robert Davey died the following year at the age of ninety.

Edith and her mother Ann continued on at Edgecombe. By the time of her father’s death, she was fifty-five. In 1912, wild dogs were killing Edith’s lambs. In order to protect her flock, she was staying out overnight. In 1915, her mother Ann died aged eighty. Edith remained alone at Edgecombe for the next twenty-four years, her five-roomed cottage falling into disrepair. She died at the Cobden Hospital in 1939 aged seventy-six. Edith’s obituary in the Camperdown Chronicle described her as one of the “grand pioneer women of Australia”.

“MISS EDITH DAVEY” Camperdown Chronicle (Vic. : 1877 – 1954) 26 September 1939: 5. Web. 6 Mar 2018.

Soon after Edith’s death, Edgecombe was sold as was the stock, plant, and furniture.

“Advertising” Camperdown Chronicle (Vic. : 1877 – 1954) 28 November 1939: 6. Web. 7 Mar 2018 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27400636>.

LEARMONTH, Mary Simpson (1863-1939) Also known as Mary Laidlaw

Mary Learmonth was born in 1863 at Hamilton the daughter of Peter Learmonth and Mary Jarvey Pearson of Prestonholme Hamilton. Mary was a sporty young woman, with a talent for tennis and a champion croquet player. In 1896, when the Hamilton Golf Club opened, she began playing golf competitively. Mary married at the age of thirty-six to Hamilton doctor David Fraser Laidlaw on 30 November 1899 at Prestonholme at the age of thirty-six. Her brother Allan gave her away and she wore a gown of white satin with lace and chiffon trim. Fifty guests enjoyed the wedding breakfast in a marquee on the property. As Mary and David left for nearby Mountajup to catch the afternoon train, they were showered with rose petals by the guests.

Mary and David Learmonth lived at Eildon on the corner of French and Thompson Streets Hamilton, overlooking the Hamilton Botanic Gardens. The house was designed by Ussher and Kemp in 1904.

“Advertising” Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 – 1918) 27 October 1904: 3. Web. 23 Feb 2018 .’

David was the Chief Medical Officer at the Hamilton Hospital but he also had a surgery at Eildon. Mary set about establishing a garden on the property and became one of the finest in the town.

EILDON, HAMILTON

Marriage didn’t put an end to Mary’s sporting activities, in fact, her involvement in golf increased and she even had time to act as the inaugural captain of the Hamilton Ladies Miniature Rifle Club formed in 1908. As well as local golf tournaments, Mary played further afield including the 1904 National Championships in 1904 where she won the Bogey Handicap with a score of 88 and hit the second-longest drive. She played in the Victorian Championships in September 1909 and won the longest drive at a length of 186 yards (170 metres). In 1930, at the age of sixty-seven, Mary won the Mount Gambier Ladies Championship at the club’s annual tournament. At Hamilton Golf Club, Mary was the undisputed ladies champion for many years winning the ladies’ championship an amazing seventeen times. Her first win was as Miss Learmonth and the rest as Mrs Laidlaw.

“Ladies’ Australian Golf Championship.” The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 – 1912) 31 August 1904: 541. Web. 7 Mar 2017 .

Other than sport, Mary was president of the Hamilton branch of the Australian Women’s National League (AWNL) and chair of the Wannon Electorate of the AWNL covering an area from Horsham to Portland. She was also a member of the Hamilton Horticulture Society, the Hamilton branch of the Red Cross Society, and the Hamilton Ladies’ Benevolent Society. Mary eventually becoming an officer of the latter organisation. In 1935, after sixty-nine years the decision was reached to finish up the Hamilton Ladies’ Benevolent Society due to decreasing demand for their services. Mary and fellow officer Mary Ann Strachan presented a petition to the Practice Court, requesting the surplus funds of the society, totalling £600, be donated to the Hamilton Hospital maternity ward. Their request was granted on 11 June 1935.

As if that wasn’t enough, Mary showed Airedale Terriers with success. She collected books for the British and Foreign Bible Society and she was a devout member of the Hamilton Methodist Church (below) as were her parents before her.

HAMILTON WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH c1930. Image courtesy of the Museums Victoria Collections http://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/769323

A slight hiccup in Mary’s life came in 1916 when charged with driving a motor car in a dangerous manner. The charges arose from a collision with a horse-drawn wagon. Fortunately, they were dismissed when it was found the accident was not caused by Mary’s speed, but the wagon driver who was turning at the time. In the same year, Mary decorated her car and drove it in a procession through Hamilton.

David Laidlaw died in October 1925 aged fifty-six. Mary’s widowed brother Stanley Learmonth moved in with her at Eildon. Mary died at Eildon on 2 April 1939 at the age of seventy-one. Eildon was sold after her death to the Napier Club, the female equivalent of the Hamilton Club. The club, formed around 1931, still occupies Eildon today.

WONDERFUL WESTERN DISTRICT WOMEN PART 1

WONDERFUL WESTERN DISTRICT WOMEN PART 2

WONDERFUL WESTERN DISTRICT WOMEN PART 4

Passing of the Pioneers

May 30, 2017January 29, 2023 / Merron Riddiford / Leave a comment

Looking back through previous Passing of the Pioneers posts, I noticed the months of April and May have missed out a couple of times over the last five years. To remedy that, this is joint post and look at the obituaries of seven pioneers from each of those months. As usual, there are some wonderful stories and characters from towns across the Western District. Hexham features prominently with two of the best known past residents of the district included. Be sure to click on the underlined text as you’ll find links to further information about the subjects.

APRIL

CAMERON, Donald – Died April 1870 at Campbellfield. Donald Cameron was born in Scotland around 1812 and travelled to Sydney about 1835. He first selected at Mount Sturgeon Plains. He later took over Morgiana earning him the name “Morgiana Cameron” around the Hamilton district where he was known for wearing full Highland regalia to town. Donald also held Bochara Station. He was fifty-eight at the time of his death. The Hamilton Spectator reported on the death of “Morgiana Cameron”, presenting him not very flattering terms.

“Items of News.” Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 – 1918) 6 April 1870: 2. Web. 23 May 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196307141>.

In response, Donald’s brother John wrote to the Hamilton Spectator, setting the record straight and reminding the paper that one should not speak ill of the dead.

“THE LATE MR. DONALD CAMERON.” Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 – 1918) 13 April 1870: 3. Web. 23 May 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196302866>.

CHAPMAN, James – Died 15 April 1886 at Colac. James Chapman was born in Scotland and attended the Bathgate Academy before working for the Linen Bank Company. He arrived in Victoria around 1873 and started work with the Colonial Bank. He was the manager at Sandhurst, then Portland for nine years before moving to the Colac branch. Well known in Masonic circles, James was the Worshipful Master of the Warrion Lodge. His funeral included a Masonic burial service. The Colac Herald published a further description of James’ life on 16 April 1886.

HORNE, John – 6 April 1914 at Terang. John Horne was born in Scotland around 1825. He arrived in Victoria in 1852 and tried his luck at the diggings before moving to the Warrnambool district. He then went on to Terang in 1857 where few buildings existed and families lived in tents. John married Catherine McLean at Warrnambool in 1859 and they settled in High Street, Terang with John working as a bootmaker. Two days before his death, John celebrated his fifty-seventh year in the town and was the longest continuous resident. He was a leading member of the Terang Presbyterian Church (below) and was a member of the Sons of Temperance, the secretary of the Terang Cemetery Trust and was on the State School Board of Advice. He was also a trustee of the Mechanics Institute and the Public Park. Catherine died in 1910 and John left a family of seven children.

THOMPSON MEMORIAL CHURCH, TERANG 1966. Image courtesy of the J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/234278

PETRAS, Johanna – Died 11 April 1916 at Hamilton. Johanna Petras was born in Prussia in 1816 and arrived in Australia at Geelong in 1855 with her husband Friedrich Herrmann. They took up land near Muddy Creek in 1869 where they settled. Johanna and Friedrich kept an orchard and vegetable garden, large enough to sell produce to the people of Hamilton each week. The couple attended St Luke’s Lutheran Church (below) in South Hamilton. Friedrich died in 1893 after a kick from a horse at the age of seventy-two. They had four children with two still living at the time of Johanna’s death.

FORMER ST. LUKE’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, HAMILTON. Image courtesy of the J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/229921

LITTLE, Thomas – Died 5 April 1917 at Camperdown. Thomas Little was born around 1862 living at Terang all his life. In 1886, he married Caroline Patterson. Thomas was a founder of the Terang Butter Factory Company and a member of the Oddfellows Lodge. At the time of his death, Thomas was looking after his son’s property Wiridgil near Camperdown. He died suddenly after milking the cows on the morning of 5 April. Thomas left his widow Caroline, two sons and one daughter and was buried at the Terang Cemetery.

HOULIHAN, Ellen – Died 26 April 1917 at Mortlake. Ellen Houlihan was born in County Kerry, Ireland around 1837 and arrived in Victoria about 1857. She spent some time at Warrnambool before moving to Mortlake. In 1860, Ellen married James Campion and James ran a bootmaking business in Mortlake. James died in 1895 and their son Michael took over the business. Ellen was a member of the Mortlake Roman Catholic Church congregation. She left two sons at the time of her death.

CATHOLIC CHURCH, MORTLAKE, Image courtesy of the State Libary of Victoria. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/64602

HOOD, Robert Alexander David – Died 10 April 1934 at Hexham. Robert Hood was born at Merrang at Hexham in 1863 and attend Geelong Grammar School. Better known as Alex, after his schooling he went to Burenda Station in Queensland to learn about station life before returning to Merrang to take over operations from his father. Upon his father’s death, Alex inherited Merrang.

MERRANG, HEXHAM. Image courtesy of the J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/231920

Alex was a champion polo player and a member of the “Caramut Four” polo team. He was also captain of the Victorian team, touring the colonies and New Zealand. Below is a photo of the Victorian team in 1899 including other members of the Caramut team. Further down, you’ll find another photo of Alex Hood with James Chester Manifold and another Hexham passing pioneer.

“INTERCOLONIAL POLO MATCH.” Melbourne Punch (Vic. : 1855 – 1900) 18 May 1899: 21. Web. 26 May 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article180224372>.

In 1909, Alex married Georgina Anderson and they raised their family at Merrang. Alex was a renowned breeder of Lincoln sheep and racehorse owner. He sat on the committee of the Warrnambool Racing Club for around forty years and won the 1918 Warrnambool Cup with Mneon. He was also a Mortlake Shire councillor for over forty years. . There are many photos of Alex Hood in the newspapers at Trove, easily found by searching R.A.D.Hood and filtering the illustrated articles. Most are from the races, like the photo from 1909 below showing Alex in the centre.

“WATCHING THE PARADE OK STEEPLECHASERS.” The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946) 8 May 1909: 30. Web. 27 May 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139692972>.

More information and photos about the Hexham Polo Club are on the link here. Further reading about the Hoods at Merrang is available on this link to The Australasian

MAY

MALSEED, John – Died May 1915 at Myamyn. John Malseed was born in Donegal, Ireland in 1824 and arrived at Portland in 1849 where he started in the carpentry trade. He married Elizabeth Wallace and a daughter was born in 1851. With the discovery of gold at Ballarat, John left his family in Portland and walked to the diggings where he had some luck. In 1866, John moved his family to Sunnyside at Myamyn and worked as a contractor for the Portland Council. The Malseed family attended the Myamyn Methodist Church where John was superintendent of the Sunday School. Elizabeth died in 1891. The couple had ten children but only five were living at the time of John’s death at the age of ninety-two

WATERS, John – Died 4 May 1917 at Nareen. John Waters was born in Ireland’s north at Lurgan in 1830. Newly married, James and his wife Ellen Maxwell arrived at Portland aboard General Hewitt in 1856 and John secured work at Newlands near Apsley. They went on to Lake Wallace North before settling at Rock View near Nareen where they settled and John raised Merino sheep. At the time they were among the first settlers in the district. John and Ellen went on to raise five sons and three daughters. Ellen died in April 1913 and John in 1917 aged eighty-six. District newspapers, such as the Portland Observer and Normanby Advertiser below, published parts of John’s Casterton News obituary.

“PORTLAND RED CROSS.” Portland Observer and Normanby Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918) 10 May 1917: 2 (MORNING). Web. 27 May 2017 .

The Casterton News of 7 May 1917 added John had “little sympathy for the coddling legislation of later days, being a whole-souled believer in the fine old doctrine of ‘Paddle your own canoe.'”

McBAIN, Anne – Died 12 May 1917 at Casterton. Born in Scotland around 1831, Anne McBain married Archibald McKinnon and they left for Australia arriving at Port Adelaide on the Man-O’-War in 1854. Travelling to Victoria, they settled at Dergholm where they spent the next thirty years raising four sons and four daughters. In her later years, Annie moved to Casterton. and regularly attended Scots Church. At the time of her death, Anne left eighteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. One-third of her grandchildren were serving overseas when she died, with six grandsons enlisted. Because of her family’s involvement in the war, on 20 May 1917, Annie was to attend Scots Church to unveil the second list on the church honour roll but she died the week before. Her death came on the anniversary of the death of her husband Archibald in 1898.

SCOTS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CASTERTON. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/63512

NIXON, George – Died 16 May 1917 at Terang. Born around 1833 in Northumberland, England, George Nixon arrived at Port Fairy aboard the Tiptree on 9 January 1857. He married Emily Parry in the same year and they moved to Caramut. After twenty years they moved to Lovely Banks near Garvoc where they remained for thirty years. George bred and exhibited Lincoln sheep and his relatively small but successful stud caught The Australasian newspaper’s attention with an article on 5 August 1899. His sheep, and presumably George, were photographed in 1898 at the Sheep-Breeders Show.

“THE SHEEP-BREEDERS’ SHOW.” The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946) 13 August 1898: 32. Web. 28 May 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138603271>.

Around 1907, George and Emily moved to McKinnon Street, Terang where Emily died in 1913.

URQUHART, Roderick Robert – Died 18 May 1917 at Hexham. Roderick Urquhart was born around 1849, a son of Roderick William Urquhart and Lydia Fraser. Roderick’s father arrived in Sydney in 1837 before travelling to Victoria in 1842. When Roderick Jr was born, the Urquharts were settled at Yangery Park at Illowa near Warrnambool. Around the time Roderick was seven, the Urquharts returned to Scotland for the children’s education. Went they returned to Yangery Park in 1862, Roderick’s father purchased Ardachy near Branxholme for Roderick and his brother Angus. They ran it for a few years before selling and Roderick left for Queensland in the Birdsville district.

By 1882, Roderick was back in Victoria and forming a partnership with Walter Armstrong of Hexham Park. Another partnership Roderick entered into was his marriage to Walter’s sister Mary Helen Armstrong (below) in 1883. Roderick and Mary, better known as Helen, had two sons and three daughters.

MARY HELEN ARMSTRONG c1882 Stewart & Co. photographer. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/235424

During the mid-1900s, Hexham Park was divided up and Roderick and Walter’s partnership dissolved. Roderick took up part of the former Hexham Park property and named it Boonerah. Sons Keith and Roderick Jr were members of the Caramut Polo Club (later known as the Hexham Polo Club) and Roderick enjoyed supporting them. He also enjoyed the races and in 1914, three of Hexham’s most notable gentleman were photographed together at the Colac races. They are from left Roderick Urquhart, James Chester Manifold of Bortkoi, Hexham and Alex Hood (see April obituaries above)

“COLAC TURF CLUB: CUP MEETING, FEBRUARY 24.” The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946) 28 February 1914: 68. Web. 29 May 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article143317765>.

When WW1, broke both Roderick and Helen’s sons enlisted. Roderick Jr, better known as Roddie, was killed on 7 August 1916 in Palestine aged thirty. Roderick and Helen learnt the news soon after and it may have contributed to Roderick’s sudden death eight months later at the age of sixty-eight. Keith returned to Australia on 11 July 1917, two months after his father’s death. You can read Roderick Urquhart’s Obituary Australia entry on the link here.

NELSON, Thomas – 8 May 1918 at Colac. Thomas Nelson was born in Scotland on Christmas Eve, 1844. He became a sailor and sailed to “practically every seaport in the world”. He arrived in Australia around 1865, settling at Cressy. Thomas married Eliza Ann Perkins in 1869. In those times, Cressy consisted of only three buildings being two stone houses and the Frenchman’s Inn. Thomas built many stone walls in the district including at Yarima where his brother John was the manager for many years and where Thomas worked for four years.

YARIMA STATION, CRESSY c1912 Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/369501

Thomas selected around twenty acres at Mia Mia near Poorneet growing barley which he carted to Ballarat. With the lands opening up in the Wimmera, the Nelsons moved to Donald but drought saw them eventually return to Cressy. Thomas then started working on the roads for the Cressy Shire Council. At the time of his death, Thomas left his widow Eliza, five sons, four daughters and thirty-three grandchildren. He was buried at the Cressy Cemetery.

STEVENSON, Joseph Tyson – Died May 1938 at Hamilton. Joseph Stevenson was born at Portland around 1873, a son of Joseph Stevenson and Mary Hale. Joseph’s first worked at the Portland Guardian learning the newspaper printing trade. He then took a job with the Echo in Ballarat. Joseph married Laura Pfundt in 1899 and they moved to Hamilton where Joseph worked as a compositor at the Hamilton Spectator. Retirement in 1936 was a chance for Joseph to try farming, something he had longed to do. He purchased land near Mount Gambier but took ill and never got the opportunity to pursue his dream. In his day, Joseph took part in competitive cycling races. He left his widow Laura, three daughters and six sons.

Passing of the Pioneers – A Year On

July 22, 2012February 7, 2021 / Merron Riddiford / 4 Comments

PASSING OF THE PIONEERS. (1927, November 14). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 21, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64259147

On July 22, 2011, I posted the first Passing of the Pioneers, and 12 months on I am preparing to post the 13th edition.

There are now over 180 links to Western Victorian pioneer obituaries at Western District Families and the 13th edition will see the total go over 200.

Reading all those obituaries has been a privilege and has taken me on a wonderful journey, not only through the history of the Western District but to places such as game parks in Africa and the silver mines of South America. The lives I have glimpsed into range from that of the gentry to general hands, but all have shared in making Western Victoria the place it is today.

Some of the pioneers were born during the early days of Victoria, while others dared their lives aboard immigrant ships in the hope of a better life. Many travelled from the ports to the Western District by bullock wagon on rough tracks, while enduring unfamiliar conditions. They built houses on land that would one day see towns such as Penshurst, Hamilton, and Balmoral grow around them.

The women from the pioneering era deserve recognition. Some were alone among men, left to bear and raise children and turn their canvas tents or slab huts into homes. Many endured loneliness, but as towns grew some became involved with community activities such as the church. Despite their hardships, many of these women’s obituaries noted that even in old age they would reminisce about those times.

Obituaries came after the pioneer “crossed the Great Divide”, penned by someone who too had heard the stories but may not have had all the facts. That is my warning to you while you read obituaries and in the July 2012 Passing of the Pioneers, I will show this with an obituary from my family.

Having said that, it is the snippets of information within them that make obituaries a worthwhile family history resource. Names of children and their married names, places of residence, occupations, and immigration details are just some of those snippets which you can then test against the relevant records.

Many of the obituaries I have read have moved me, inspired me, and led me to further research. I have listed just some of those, not so much for the achievements of the subject but the stories they tell. Click on the pioneer’s name to go to their original newspaper obituary or the date to go to the Passing of the Pioneers post where the obituary appeared:

Frederick William BILSTON (August 2011)

Mrs Agnes CHEQUER (November 2011)

Thomas Denton CLARKE (October 2011)

Elizabeth COLE (March 2012)

James DAWSON (April 2012)

Alfred Irvine HOGAN (February 2012)

KITTSON family – James (May 2012), James Trotter (December 2011), Rebecca (January 2012), Susannah (June 2012) and Mrs Margaret Kittson (May 2012)

MALSEED family – Fanny Ann (February 2012), Robert J. (May 2012) , Mrs E.A. MALSEED (August 2011) and Mary HEDDITCH (Mrs James MALSEED) (July 2011)

Finlay McPherson PATON (September 2011)

Joseph Bell PEARSON (July 2011)

Passing of the Pioneers

May 24, 2012February 7, 2021 / Merron Riddiford / 3 Comments

If some of the pioneers from May Passing of the Pioneers could be gathered in one room, the stories would be flowing. Many of them enjoyed telling stories from the past and had great recollections of the early days. Subjects would include Queen Victoria, the Henty brothers, the Eureka Stockade, lands sales, and gold. I’m sure they would have all agreed with fellow pioneer John Waters’ philosophy to “paddle your own canoe”.

Agnes PATERSON: Died 29 May 1901 at Portland. Agnes was the daughter of a Tasmanian solicitor, Alex Paterson. She married John Norman McLEOD and they first arrived in the Portland district around 1850. John built Maretimo before purchasing Castlemaddie, a property at Tyrendarra. Between 1851 and 1856, John McLeod was the MLA for Portland. Agnes was seventy-five at the time of her death and left three sons.

MARETIMO. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria. Image no. H31761 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/172772

James KITTSON: Died 20 May 1911 at Melbourne. James Kittson was one of the original pioneers of the Bridgewater area. He was the father of Rebecca Kittson and James Trotter Kittson both of whom have featured in Passing of the Pioneers. James was a Councillor with Portland Shire Council.

John GILLIES: Died May 1914 at Moonee Ponds. John Gillies was a farming pioneer around the Ararat district. He was a member of the Farmers’ Co-operative Company and the Ararat Agriculture Society.

Emily Julia BENNETT: Died May 1914 at Stawell. Emily Bennett was a Stawell pioneer. Originally from London, she arrived in Victoria around 1860 with her parents Dr. Edwin Bennett and Mrs. Bennett. They settled around Stawell around 1865. Gold was the main focus in Stawell at the time and the town consisted mostly of tents. Dr Bennett took up a position as hospital doctor which he held for many years. Emily married Richard Z. DAVIES at the Stawell West Anglican church. Richard was the headmaster at the Stawell State School.

William B. BRADSHAW: Died 26 May 1915 at Ballarat. Born in Cambridgeshire, England, William Bradshaw arrived in Adelaide as an eleven-year-old in 1837. One of the last events he attended in London before his departure was the ceremony for the Proclamation of the accession of Queen Victoria. Once in South Australia, his father established one of the first bakeries in Adelaide. William was lured to the goldfields of Victoria in 1851. He had reached Ballarat by1854 the time of the Eureka Stockade. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace appointed in Victoria.

John WATERS: Died 4 May 1917 at Nareen. John Waters was born in Lurgan, Northern Ireland in 1830. He and his wife arrived at Portland aboard the General Hewitt in 1856 and headed towards the Casterton district. After some moving around he finally settled at Rock View at Nareen in 1867 where he remained until his death. John’s pioneering story is similar to so many others of his time:

Obituary. (1917, May 7). The Casterton News and the Merino and Sandford Record (Vic. : 1914 – 1918), p. 2 Edition: Bi-Weekly. Retrieved May 24, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74489225

If John was concerned about “coddling legislation” almost 100 years ago, what would he think of our society today?

John CHRISTIE: Died 15 May 1918 at Byaduk. Born at Garvald, East Lothian, Scotland in 1834 and arrived at Portland in 1851. He settled at Byaduk, naming his property Garvald Vale. With his brother, they breed fine Lincoln sheep. A further obituary can be read at Obituaries Australia

Margaret JENNINGS: Died 19 May 1927 at Heywood. Although she was only eight at the time, Margaret Jennings retained memories of her voyage to Melbourne in 1840 with her parents Cook Abraham Jennings and Hannah Birchall. She also recalled the early days of Portland, the Hentys, William Dutton, Black Thursday of 1851 and the wreck of the steamer Admella. She married Hugh Kittson and they settled at Bridgewater Lakes. In her later years, she retained her wit and loved the company of children. She was a contributor to the Red Cross during WW1. You can read more about Margaret in the post “In the News – May 26, 1927“.

William Primrose ANDERSON: Died 26 May 1927 at Portland. William Anderson was a well-known resident of Portland and was known around the town as “W.P.”. He was born in 1845 in Melbourne and arrived in Portland with his parents around 1857. His first job was working in a grocery and hardware store in Portland. By the age of twenty-eight, he had taken over the business. He set up a wool export business and had many other business interests around the town. His obituary is lengthy and is worth reading to learn more, not only about “W.P’s” life but also the early days of Portland. William Anderson demonstrated the qualities shown by many other pioneers:

Obituary. (1927, May 30). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved May 24, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64257336

William McINTYRE: Died 23 May 1936 at Hamilton. William McIntyre arrived at Portland in 1852 with his parents aboard the John Davis. He was born in Inverness, Scotland only three years earlier. By 1855, the McIntyres arrived at Muddy Creek near Hamilton via Strathdownie and South Australia. William was a gun shearer, with his record being 209 sheep in one day. He also was a good athlete, winning many prizes at sports days from Penshurst to Branxholme.

Mary MUMFORD: Died 5 May 1940 at Camperdown. Mary Mumford was born in England in 1845 and arrived in Australia with her parents in the late 1840s. She married Frederick TILL in 1863 and lived in Cobden. Frederick was killed in an accident, leaving Mary with four children. She married John PETER and they had a further five girls. It is not mentioned what happened to Mr Peter, but Mary left Cobden for Cowley’s Creek where she resided for 25 years. Later in life, she married Mr NELSON. At the time of her death, she had one son, six daughters, forty-four grandchildren, fifty-five great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Her son William Till played a part in the rescue of the two survivors of the Loch Ard.

Mary LOUREY: Died 3 May 1941 at Glenormiston. Mary Lourey was the last surviving child of Thomas and Johanna Lourey. She was born at Kirkstall around 1858. Twenty-two years later she married Thomas KELLY and they eventually settled at Glenormiston. Thomas was behind the construction of the Glenormiston butter factory. At Mary’s funeral at the Noorat Catholic Church, the children from St Joseph’s School formed a guard of honour. The cortege was said to stretch from Noorat to Terang where Mary was buried.

Henry Cowap WILLIAMSON: Died 25 May 1948 at Portland. Henry Williamson was a pioneer of the fruit growing industry in the Gorae district. He and his brother grew apples and later built cool stores at Gorae which were a profitable ongoing concern. Henry retired into Portland and was a prominent member of the Wesley Church and the Portland P & A Society,

Robert John MALSEED: Died May1950 at Portland. Robert Malseed was the youngest son of Irish immigrants, Stewart and Margaret Malseed. Robert was born at Portland in 1860 and married Elizabeth Ann TRENEAR in 1888. Robert and Elizabeth lived all their married lives at 88 Garden Street, Portland where Robert had an orchard. One of his proudest moments was representing the Malseed family at the 100th anniversary reunion of the arrival of his parents. He was the oldest surviving member of the Portland Oddfellows Lodge.

Passing of the Pioneers

February 28, 2012February 28, 2021 / Merron Riddiford / 2 Comments

Once again an interesting band of Western Victorian pioneers were found in newspaper obituaries from February. There is a tightrope walker, philanthropist, a motor car pioneer and several hardy pioneer women. It continues to amaze me the lives the pioneers lived. I mean, who could imagine a tightrope walker living in Portland in the 19th century, in fact at anytime!

Thomas STODDART: Died 20 February 1905 at Ballarat. When next in Ballarat admiring the many statues in Sturt Street and the Botanical Gardens, thank Thomas Stoddart. He was responsible for getting the ball rolling for leading Ballarat identities to give statues or money towards statues, to the city. From digger to stockbroker, Stoddart donated twelve statues to the city of Ballarat in 1884 after a trip to Europe. This act of philanthropy saw some of Ballarat’s other wealthy citizens bequeath money to fund more statues. In fact, John Permewan who featured in December Passing of the Pioneers donated the well know “Hebe” which stands in Sturt Street. As well as the obituary from the Horsham Times a lengthier obituary appeared in The Argus on February 21.

“FLORA”

“POMONA”

John COFFEY: Died 9 February 1908 at Melbourne. John Coffey was born in Limerick, Ireland, and came to Australia with his brother in the 1860s. He first went to the Wimmera while carting between Melbourne and the Wimmera. Making a permanent home there, he worked as a farmer and a hotel keeper. He left a wife, Catherine Almond, five daughters and three sons.

Thomas HENNESSY: Died 19 February 1908 at Horsham. Thomas Hennessy arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Royal Charter from Limerick, Ireland. He began farming around Koroit, lost a leg, and moved to the Pimpinio district where he farmed for many years. An accident prior to his death contributed to his demise.

James DAVIDSON: Died 12 February 1913 at Narrawong. James Davidson, born at Narrawong, was described as a “good all-round citizen” in his obituary. He was involved in the mounted rifles and athletics.

Matilda GILCHRIST: Died 14 February 1914 at Hawthorn. Born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1920 she arrived on the Star of the East in 1855. Her husband Thomas Lang was a well-known horticulturist in the late 19th century. Matilda was a principal of a girls’ school in Ballarat for a time.

Mary Ann DREW: Died 15 February 1915 at Willaura. Born in Buckinghamshire, England, Mary Ann Drew came to Victoria in her twenties during the 1850s. She worked at Golf Hill Station at Shelford for George Russell, before moving to Sandford where she married William Lindon. Mary Ann lived at Willaura with her daughter for the last ten years of her life.

Edward Harewood LASCELLES: Died 12 February 1917 at Geelong. Lascelles is a well-known name in WesternVictoria. Not only does his name form part of the Geelong wool broking firm Denneys Lascelles & Co., but the town of Lascelles in the Mallee was named after him. Edward Lascelles was born in Tasmania in 1847, married Ethel Denney and they had six children. He was a leader in vermin extermination on his property in the Mallee and was the first to introduce share farming in Victoria.

Isabella McDONALD: Died February 1918 at Dandenong. Isabella McDonald arrived in Victoria with her widowed mother in 1863. The following year she married journalist, Mr Dudeney, who had gone to Ballarat to report on the Eureka Stockade riots. Only after a few years of marriage, Mr Dudeney passed away and she married John Whitehead a worker at the Ballarat Post Office and later the GPO in Melbourne

Martha MATHEWS: Died 14 February 1918 at Buninyong. Martha Mathews was a colonist of 64 years, arriving in Victoria to join her husband, Richard Phillips on the goldfields of Ballarat. Martha enjoyed telling stories of the goldrush days.

OBITUARY. (1918, February 18). The Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1914 – 1918), p. 6 Edition: DAILY.. Retrieved February 26, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75176846

Janet SIMPSON: Died 19 February 1920 at Bondi, New South Wales. Janet Simpson, her husband Robert Clark and four children sailed for Australia in 1857. One child, Agnes died during the journey. At the time of their arrival, the train line to Horsham was under construction, so the family took a coach to Stawell, then bullock wagon to Horsham. She was one of the many pioneer women who coped under tough conditions.

Obituary. (1920, February 27). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved February 26, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73190179

William HANLON: Died 19 February 1923 at Portland. William Hanlon was the mayor of Portland 11 times. His interests within the municipality included President of the Portland Free Library.

William ROBERTSON: Died 2 February 1924 at Portland. A colonist of seventy-seven years, William Robertson arrived in Portland as a five-year-old with his parents. He had travelled to New Guinea and Western Australia as well one time riding in the Great Western Steeplechase at Coleraine.

Charles Francis PATTERSON: Died 17 February 1933 at Portland. Charles was born in Portland in 1857 and spent some time in Western Australia on the railways. It was there he met his future wife and after marriage, they returned to Portland to raise ten children. Charles was a popular figure around the town and he worked in the fish distribution business.

Alfred Irvine HOGAN: Died 8 February 1934 at Portland. From tightrope walker to saw miller, Alfred Hogan was an interesting chap. Arriving in Portland as a young man, he gained notoriety as a tightrope walker performing daredevil tricks in the mould of “Blondin” the French tightrope walker. Age must have caught up with his tightrope walking feats and he turned to sawmilling, with his obituary crediting him as a pioneer of sawmilling in the Portland district, an industry which became one of the biggest in the area. Alfred also had a keen interest in Australian Rules football and was one of the people behind the development of Hanlon Park, which is still home to the Portland Football Club today.

Mary Jane SPIKEN: Died February 1934 at Warrnambool. Mary Jane Spiken’s mother Anna Harland arrived in Victoria with members of the Henty family. Anna married John George Spiken with Mary Jane born around 1861 at the Henty homestead. Mary Jane married William Jenkins and they had seven children. She was a wealth of knowledge on the early days of Portland.

Fanny Ann MALSEED: Died 13 February 1936 at Myamyn. Fanny Ann was the daughter of James and Eliza Malseed of Mount Richmond. She married Thomas Edmund Adamson around 1886 and they raised eight children.

Richard YOUNG: Died 16 February 1939 at Horsham. Richard was born at Clunes and moved to Horsham with his parents as a ten-year-old. He married Isabella Anderson and they raised a large family. Richard was a keen footballer and played for the United Traders football club. He was a founding member of the Horsham Football Club and was an active member of the local fire brigade.

Walter Birmingham EDGAR: Died 22 February 1939 at Portland. Walter Edgar was born at Pine Hills Station at Harrow in 1856. Educated at Hamilton College, he achieved the double honor of dux of the college and athletic champion. Despite studying civil engineering at Melbourne University, he returned to Pine Hills to take up agriculture pursuits. In 1882, he married Jessie Swan of Konongwootong. In the years before his death, Walter toured England, Scotland, Norway and Sweden with his daughter. In his younger days, Walter was something of a cricketer and golfer. He and his father played some part in the Aboriginal cricket team touring England in 1867. The team included Johnny Mullagh who Walter often played cricket with.

Obituary. (1939, February 27). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 28, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64391911

Ann NIVEN: Died 24 February 1942 at Coleraine. Ann Niven’s came to Australia at five, but without her parents. They arrived at a later date, but until then Ann was under the guardianship of Mr and Mrs Christorphen. They lived where Balmoral now stands, but then it was only bush. She married William Bird, living at Wombelano and then for the last thirty-two years of her life, at Coleraine. Mrs Bird was the mother of eleven children.

Patrick HENRY: Died February 1942 at Terang. Patrick Henry, with his parents, settled in the Woodford area upon their arrival in Australia in 1866. He began driving bullock wagons as a teenager and worked in that occupation until he was eighty-six. When he finally retired, it was thought he was the oldest bullock wagon driver in the Western District.

Thomas Turner SHAW: Died 1 February 1949 at Beaumaris. Thomas Shaw was the son of Thomas and Catherine Shaw. He was born in Victoria in 1864.

THOMAS TURNER SHAW c1866. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria. Image no. H2013.172/23 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/235471

Thomas Shaw was not only a pioneer of fine merino wool production but also motoring in Victoria. He drove one of the first steam cars and was also a founding member of the Royal Auto Club (RACV).

In the News – November 16, 1922

November 16, 2011March 11, 2021 / Merron Riddiford / Leave a comment

The Portland Guardian of 16 November 1922, reported much excitement surrounding the town’s birthday celebrations beginning that day, including “Back to Portland” celebrations. Former residents had started to return and reacquaint themselves with old friends.

Portland’s Gala Week. (1922, November 16). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64027013

One article Coming Home is a reminder of how useful newspapers are in assisting our research. Included is a list of all those who had indicated they would be attending the reunion.

Each name includes the present town of residence, some with an address. The following are just a few of the names:

(1922, November 16). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 4 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved November 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page6065696

Other well-known names included Henty, Holmes, Kittson, Malseed, and Silvester.

Advertising. (1922, November 16). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved November 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64027014

Advertising. (1922, November 16). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64027000

Passing of the Pioneers

July 22, 2011September 10, 2020 / Merron Riddiford / Leave a comment

The Portland Guardian was mindful of the contribution made by the early pioneers toward developing the south-west. They offered regular items titled “Passing of the Pioneers” or “Passing Pioneers” and often mentioned in obituaries that “…one by one are old pioneers are passing”. As early as 1889, they were lamenting the loss of the links to the early settlers and suggesting that the efforts of those who passed be recognised.

The Portland Guardian,. (1889, January 16). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63591640

Established August 1842. The Portland Guardian,. (1899, July 7). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 19, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63676630 MLA citation

In 1921, the paper spoke of the many unwritten histories that had gone before, but now we can see the Portland Guardian lived up to its charter of 1889, successfully recording the histories of many of the local pioneers. By doing so, they are now helping us learn more about our families and gain a sense of life in the early days of the Western District. Of course, The Guardian was not alone. References to the “passing pioneers” are found in most of the papers on the Trove website.

Obituaries are a secondary source as the information comes from the knowledge of those still living and I have noticed errors in obituaries of my family. But they can offer leads to records you may never have thought of such as Masonic lodge records and local council records. Whatever you do or don’t get out of an obituary, no-one can deny they are often a good read.

July was a month when many “Passing of the Pioneers” columns appeared. Cold winters in the southwest saw many of the older residents “cross the Great Divide” as the Guardian would put it.

Some of the more notable passing pioneers in the month of July were:

James PARKER: Died 6 July1889 at Heywood. James PARKER’S obituary is an interesting read. Born in Tasmania around 1810, he came to the mainland as a whaler. In 1842, he married Margaret NOLAN at Portland. Later he had some luck at the Creswick goldfields only to have an encounter with bushranger Captain Moonlight.

William TULLOH: Died 19 July 1889 at Portland. This is a lengthy obituary of a Portland resident of nearly fifty years, whose death saw half-closed shutters on homes around the town. Born in Scotland in 1812, he left a wife, four sons, and a daughter at the time of his passing. I have found a site with more detail of William and his wife Eliza Mary KEARTON.

James BARNETT: Died 18 July 1892 at Portland. James was known as “Old Barney” around Portland and while the Portland Guardian credits him as a pioneer, they make a judgement in saying that he did not make the most of his opportunities as other early settlers had done. He married in 1851 to Elizabeth AUSTIN. Five children were living at the time of James’ death.

Alexander THOMSON: Died July 1897 at Hamilton. Scottish born Alex THOMSON was prominent around the Hamilton area as a Shire of Dundas Councillor for twenty-one years. At the time of his death, he was the owner of Pierrepoint Estate near Hamilton and was also an active member of the Pastoral and Agricultural society.

Thomas Webb SMITH: Died 29 July 1914 at Branxholme. Thomas served on the Borough of Portland council and was mayor from November 1871-November 1873. He was also a member of the Goodfellows and Freemasons.

Annie Maria HENTY: Died 2 July 1921 at Hamilton. Annie was from the most famous southwest pioneering family of them all, the Henty’s. The daughter of Stephen HENTY, Annie married Hamilton stock and station agent Robert STAPYLTON BREE in 1874. The Bree name is preserved in Hamilton with a much-used road of the same name in the town. Their home Bewsall (below) once stood near the end of Bree Road in North Boundry Road.

HAMILTON. (1903, May 2). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946), p. 27. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138684187

Stapylton-Bree (2)

Ann Eliza KEEPING: Died 9 July 1921 at Portland. Annie Eliza KEEPING arrived in Australia aboard the Eliza and married John FINNIGAN in 1857. She was eighty-two at the time of her death.

Joseph Bell PEARSON: Died 7 July 1922 at Portland. Yet another interesting character. According to his obituary, Joseph was born on the voyage from England to Tasmania. His family moved to the Retreat Estate near Casterton in 1844. He was a noted horseman, with several good racehorses which he would ride himself. One of his jumps racing rivals was Adam Lindsay Gordon.

Joseph was buried at the Hamilton (Old) Cemetery with his wife Mary Abbott and mother-in-law Martha Holdish (below).

Abbott

Sarah MARSHALL: Died 7 July 1923 at Gorae West. Sarah was the wife of the late Richard BEAUGHLEHOLE and she died at seventy-three. Richard selected land at Gorae West and transformed swampland into flourishing orchards. Sarah and Richard had twelve children.

Mary Thurza HEDDITCH: Died 1 July 1930 at Drik Drik. Mary HEDDITCH was born in Portland in 1844 and moved with her family to Bridgewater in 1846. Her elder brother drowned when she was a teenager leaving her to take on some of his duties. As a result, she became an accomplished horsewoman, helping her father with the cattle. She married James MALSEED and together they had seven children.

Phillipa JOHNS: July 1931 at Portland. Phillipa JOHNS, the daughter of a doctor, was herself something of a substitute doctor for those living in the Willenbrina area, near Warracknabeal. Later she and her husband William DELLAR moved to the Portland district. They had nine children.