When Robert Cairns built the Maroolaba homestead, it was valued at 400 pounds and this amount was deducted from the purchase price. Due to most farms being of the subsistence variety and activities other than farming (such as timber felling or splitting on Arthurs Seat and at Main Ridge) being the only source of money, many farmers took decades to gain title.
Jim and Ned or Ted Williams did die within a day or so of each other. The Rye Cemetery microfiche only mentions the father, Edward (D. 12-11-1926 at 91) and James Campbell Williams (D. 10-9-1947 at 87.) *Their sister was Caroline who married (Ned Edmonds Snr?) They had three children: Ned, Phil and Marion. Marion Edmonds married Jim Woonton who in 1919 was farming on Edward Williams? land in Browns Rd (169 E-F12). He had taken this land over from Mrs Marion Edmonds who had the Edward Williams land on the north side of Browns Rd; it would appear that the wife of Ned Edmonds Snr was Marion. Edward Williams? grandson, Ned Edmonds married Edna Cairns. In 1919 Caroline Williams was still assessed under that name. POSTSCRIPT 2013. At the time of the interview, I knew nothing about trove and Ray was unsure about Carrie. Her death notice makes everything clear.

WILLIAMS. - On April 29, at Dromana Community Hospital, Caroline, of Eastbourne, Rosebud West, eldest daughter of the late Edward and Mary Williams, sister of Edward (deceased). James (deceased). Ellen (Mrs. Connop, deceased), Marion(Mrs. Edmonds, deceased), aged 90 years. (P.15, Argus, 30-4-1949.)

Ray did not know of John and Marion Edwards and Caroline Williams living at Eastbourne in Dromana. (Obviously named after the house that Caroline?s father built, which still stands at 17 William St, Rosebud West.) Source: Flinders Shire rates C 1911-1914.
Ray and his brothers would cross paddocks to fish at Rowleys Rocks. Ray used to carry locals to dances in the back of his cattle truck with often up to 25 passengers. After a good clean up Ray would cover the tray, which had high sides, and spread coir mats so the ladies did not soil their evening gowns. They would go to dances at Rye, Sorrento, Rosebud and Dromana with Ray depositing everyone at their houses about 2 a.m. Ray?s eye wasn?t as sharp as usual when the dance had been on a Friday night and it is unlikely he made too many of his 11 000 runs in those cases. Ray married Poppy at 58 and they were happily married for 37 years but had no children.
The most terrifying bowler that Ray faced was Jim Townsend of Morninton Diggers. A combination of his pace and some pebbles strategically placed under the matting caused a few bruises. The Diggers played at Alexandra Park or the reserve in Wilson Rd. The Wilson Family after which the road was named may be the one that lived on Mt Martha near the army barracks.
Ross Lever of Sorrento was a very correct batsman but with the long grass on the grounds found it difficult to score freely; the art was to hit it in the air but with good placement.
Ray mentioned the Crichtons and their prize-winning cheese. See Lime Land Leisure. We next discussed the 670 acres bounded by Truemans Rd, Hiscock Rd, a line 800 metres west of Boneo Rd, and partly, Browns Rd, which the Crichtons had as well as Glen Lee and the land at Main Ridge, but Ray could not recall much about it. Agar Wynne of Melbourne had this land in 1919. Ray spoke with admiration of a Mr (Mckinlay?) who probably owns some of this land and is keen to preserve the wetlands. South of Bunnings, John Cain?s old house still stands on crown allotment 4.
The old house in Eastbourne Rd on the east side of the drive into Olympic Park, which was demolished so that the apartments could be built, was once the only house in Eastbourne Rd between Jetty and Boneo Rds, according to Jim Dryden. Ray said that this house was Raper?s. In 1919, John R. Raper had crown allotments 8,9,10 and 11, the 660 acres on the east side of Boneo Rd between Eastbourne Rd and Hiscock Rd. ?Bogies and Birdies?states that the Rosebud Country Club site was sold by Jack Rapir to Forestry Pulp and Paper in 1938. Jack Raper was a dairy farmer.
Before I forget it, I must mention something that came up before I activated the voice recorder. I told Ray that the Rudducks and Buchers were apparently farming adjacent to the east boundary of the Boneo Pre-emptive right. (Melway 170 F-G 12 and south to Limestone Rd.) When I pointed to this land on the Birdies and Bogies 1960 map, which I had converted to a Wannaeue Parish map, Ray immediately told me that this was called the fern paddock. Apparently it was burnt off about every five years to control the bracken fern.
Charlie Burnham?s house and the store where he and Walter sold their fish were near Red Rooster but on the beach side of McCoomb St. The Hindhope Estate was a subdivision on crown allotment 14 between First Avenue and Boneo Rd. Another buyer on this estate in 1919 was E. Martin who had recently moved to Rosebud from Woolcott St in Coburg. (He was perhaps a relative of the Woolcotts who had owned allotment 17 between Jetty Rd and Norm Clark Walk, extending to Eastbourne Rd.) He was probably the person who shortly afterwards started a shop on the west corner of Boneo Rd.
Ray insisted that Martin?s Corner, which obviously got its name from the shop, was definitely on the west corner but knew nothing of a subdivision at that time of David and William Cairns? property. David?s house Eleanora is now part of the Rosebud Hospital. Then I noticed that what I had always assumed to be allotment 13 was actually 13A. The reason for this is that limeburner Marks had been granted a 5 acre block on the corner. It had a beach road frontage of 100 metres and a Boneo Rd frontage of 200 metres. William Cairns was assessed on 13 B of 5 acres in 1919-20 and may have sold all or part of it to Martin soon after.
We discussed the fact that Peter and James Purves? names were spelt Purvis in the1919-20 rates but Ray was not sure whether this was a spelling mistake or that they had changed the spelling of their name. The blonde lady, a descendant of the Whites, whom I met at the Dromana museum last Sunday, mentioned dissension in the Purves family, which might have led to a change of spelling.
When asked with whom he used to knock around as a teenager, Ray replied that there wasn?t much knocking around as there was nowhere to go. He and his younger brother would make their own cartridges and go rabbit shooting; fishing at Rowleys Rocks was another form of recreation.
John Cain planted wheat on his land on the west side of Boneo Rd one year but did not seem to have repeated the effort; perhaps the summer was not hot enough to ripen it. His house south of Bunnings is now on Bob Fisher?s land. John Cain lived in Sorrento but his daughters used to live in the house, and one, Kathleen, married Brabizon.
When we were discussing the Hindhope Estate near Rosebud Plaza, Ray mentioned that he had been visited by a Mr Parker, who had run a holiday accommodation facility in that area. There were cabins made of pine boards with the bark giving the appearance of log cabins. My brother in law, Peter Warren, and I, and our future wives, stayed there in the late 1960?s.
As farmers did not accumulate much cash, wives would manufacture suits for the boys from pieces of adult suits that were still in good condition, and of course make their own, and their daughters?, dresses. Horses were usually bought from Kirk?s Bazaar in Melbourne but Hill Harry, Ray?s dad, once bought a racing pony from Purves at Tootgarook. Pony races were conducted on the beach at Flinders and Sorrento.
The haystacks at Maroolaba were covered with thatch to keep them dry. About 20 acres of hay was grown each year. The ti tree problem did not spread to the east and north side of Boneo Road but the rabbit problem was common to both sides of the road. The map of Historic Fingal Sites in LIME LAND LEISURE does not mention occupants of the area on the ocean side of Boneo Rd so I asked Ray for details. Major Sutherland owned what is now Ace High. Further toward the Schanck were Keith McGregor and Stewart on the hill. Past the Cape Schanck road was Barragunda.
Ned Edmonds Jnr later owned Alexander Cairns? grant on the north west corner of Boneo and Browns Rds. (See THE CAIRNS FAMILY OF BONEO.) Amos who shared the grant with Alexander, did not come to Australia; Ray thought that he married Alexander?s daughter but it was probably one of his sisters or stepsisters.
Belle Cairns, Jimmy?s daughter, married Peter Purves. Ray is related to the Rowleys because his grandmother?s sister, Annie Cain, married Robert Rowley. I then told Ray about Robert Rowley?s two business ventures with his mate, Henry Cadby Wells. Ben Stenniken acquired property at Fingal, which had earlier belonged to his father in law, Harry Prince, who had bought it from Ray?s family. Jack Sullivan was a tall left handed bowler who could terrify batsmen with balls that smacked into the ribs and shins, if he was not taking wickets, before he died at the age of 21. Ray was not sure whether the Barkers near Main Ridge were from the same family that had the Boneo Run, but they were related to the Shands by marriage. The Barkers grew apples.
Hiscock had land on the north side of Hiscock Rd. It was part of allotment 44 near the swamp. Jack Warnock later had this land and created the West Rosebud Golf Course and charged practically nothing for people to play on it. A game there often involved a chat with this lovely man and an ascent to the green after a good approach shot only to find a horse grazing on the green. The golf course is probably a bit more fancy now that it caters for Village Glen residents.
Andrew Buchanan had much land along Boneo Rd. In 1910 he had John Cain?s allotment 4, and 5 and 6 across Boneo Rd, a total of 730 acres fronting the south side of Hiscock Rd and extending east to Old Cape Schanck Rd. He had probably followed Donald McGillvray on lots 5 and 6. By 1920, John Cain was assessed on 4, 5 and 6. Andrew Buchanan had 30 acres of the Barkers? P.R. in 1910 but by 1920, this had become 146 acres.
There was not much damage caused by the 1939 bushfire because its ferocity had lessened by the time it reached Boneo. Ray said that it did lead to the death of one of his uncles, Gerry Hill. (See the story in Patricia Appleford?s ?Rye Primary School?- index available from Rye Historical Society-accidental death.)
This brought us to whether Rye played cricket on Mrs Hill?s paddock and Ray wasn?t quite sure. However he did remember them playing on the grassy area (diminished by erosion in the last decade or so) east of the Rye pier. He also remembers them playing on McDonald?s property south and over a hill from the cemetery. The McDonalds, Jack and Max, made their own little golf course there too.
Ray did not get involved with golf in Rosebud until he formed a second 18 (footy) at Rosebud in 1965. He thinks they played on the Village Green for a while before they moved to Olympic Park.
Roads were made of gravel but there were patches of limestone made from the rubble left around the old lime kilns. It was beautifully smooth but iron rims on wagon wheels ensured that once a pothole developed, it was rapidly enlarged. Jim Woonton, who married Marion Edmonds, was entrusted with keeping the roads in good repair.
As mentioned elsewhere, the limestone was slippery when wet, and sharp on horses? hooves.
When discussing the naming of Woonton St, I mentioned that James might have bought Potton?s farm and part of Adams? allotment 19 dirt cheap following attempted 1920?s subdivisions that flopped like Tommy Loft?s one at Tullamarine at that time. Ray knew Tommy Loft well and was interested to learn of his 200 acre farm, Dalkeith, and Gordon St being named after his grandson as well as his son, Ray, owning Broombank and a street in its subdivision being named after his wife?s family, the Millars. Tom Loft owned 313 acres fronting the west side of Truemans Rd (Melway 252 A-E 1 and south to Limestone Rd.)
Eric Bird?s website on coastal place names states that Cairns Bay was so-named because of David Cairns who moved to the area in 1988. This was probably the supporting argument put to the place names committee, but Ray tells a different story. Some time before World War 2, a representative from Broadbents (road directory and map makers) called at Maroolaba and asked if there were any local names they should be aware of. The family told him that they often fished at an area near Flinders reached by driving through Wilson?s Paddock. When asked its name, they replied that they did not know. It became Cairns Bay! The closest Cairns to Cape Schanck was Ted Cairns, son of the original David Cairns, who lived opposite the turn off.
Ray?s middle name, Drysdale, comes from his grandmother?s maiden name. He was the first Ray in the extended family. His father, Hill Harry, was obviously sick of the confusion caused by each family having a James, David, John, Robert and Alexander, as well as Carrier and Hill Harry, which required nicknames to give everyone a fighting chance of guessing the identity of the person being discussed. Henry obviously had the same love of cricket and suggested that they call their second child Rashid Singh after a star batsman of the era. Mother preferred Ray.
Len Dunk often transported the Boneo cricket team to away matches. Ray?s family bought an Essex 4, which was paid for by selling eggs and porkers.
Pardon the smaller text size, but I have had to add some material that I originally forgot to include. This was only discovered when I was doing the family connections entry in my Dictionary History. Harry Prince bought some land, 260 acres, from Ray?s father, ?Hill Harry? Cairns. When asked about the Stennikens, Ray mentioned this fact and that Ben Stenniken, who married Harry Prince?s daughter finished up owning the property.

2013 UPDATES.
HINDHOPE. This farm, the 57 acre northern half of crown allotment 14 Wannaeue, was bounded by Boneo Rd, the highway and First Avenue including house blocks in First Avenue south to No.50 (which may have been the homestead) and all Hope St houses blocks. The southern half was The Thicket, now occupied by curving streets like Warranilla; its homestead was near the church in The Drive and it was farmed by Alf Rawlings an early grantee in the parish of Lyndhurst,and Keith McGregor. Steve Burnham's website (details in my EARLY ROSEBUD journal) has a photo of Hindhope Park which was on the Rosebud Plaza site.

McCOMBE ST. This appeared in the first comment with the wrong spelling but the official spelling is probably wrong too. While researching title deeds for what I strongly believe is the Hindhope homestead, I discovered that a member of the pioneering McComb family of Frankston, described as a farmer of Seaford, briefly owned Hindhope before the advent of the younger love rat (skilfully disguised surname!)

WILSON ROAD. The C.B.Wilson Reserve in Wilson Rd is named after Mornington Shire President, train driver Charlie Wilson,the child of a marriage between two different Wilson families, one resident early in Mornington and the other on "Tuerong Station" at the time of the (first) Schnapper Point Murder. I now believe Wilson Rd was named after a prominent academic who holidayed there in early days.

BELLE CAIRNS. Peter Purves (1880-1940), born at Tootgarook and buried at Rye, did indeed marry Isabella Cairns. (MEMOIRS OF A LARRIKIN Hec Hanson.) Ray said Belle was Jimmy's daughter. Jimmy was James Cairns (1840-1929) who married Johanna Russell and was buried at Rye. Jimmy's children are listed as Arthur,Belle, Lily,Violet, and Percy.(THE CAIRNS FAMILY OF BONEO.)