itellya on Family Tree Circles
Journals and Posts
THE TRAGIC DROWNING OF 30 Y.O. THOMAS WILLIAM ARTHUR ROYCE OF GEELONG NEAR CAPE SCHANCK, VIC., AUST.
Royce—Horsley,—On 28th April, at Burwell, Neil street, by the father of the bridegroom, assisted by Rev. Wm. Williams, Arthur, second son of the Rev.J. S. H. Royce, of Sale, to Alice, second daughter of Wm. Horsley, Ballarat.(P.2, The Ballarat Star, 22-5-1886.)
ROYCE.-On the 10th inst., accidentally drowned at Cape Schanck Thomas William Arthur, son of
Rev J.S.H.Royce, of Geelong, aged 30 years. (P.1, Argus, 21-1-1893.)
Poor pregnant Alice was hoping for a miracle!
ROYCE. —On the 10th inst., accidentally drowned at Cape Schanck, Thomas William Arthur, the beloved husband of Alice V. Royce, Geelong Ladies' College, aged 30. (P.1, Argus, 24-1-1893.)
ROYCE. —On the 8th inst., at 205 Yarra street, the wife of the late T. W. A. Royce—a son.
(P.1, Argus, 14-8-1893.)
itellya NEVER GIVES UP. My Brady (FACEBOOK) post on PIONEERS OF THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA resulted from chance discoveries made while I was looking for an article that changed my mind about how the families of William John Brady and Rose Roberts became acquainted. I'd originally assumed that the two families met because the Brady family's Mount Evergreen (Melway 254 D1) was near the Roberts' grant (Crown allotment 1C, section A, Parish of Flinders, granted to C.Roberts on 21-7-1890) at 255 B1. However John and Hannah Roberts had spent much time at Geelong and since F. Brady (now obviously Frederick George Holland Brady, born in 1866, aged about 26 at about the time of the following tragedy and later a Presbyterian minister and missionary) was teaching at Geelong, it became most likely that the two families became acquainted in Geelong.
It took me about three years to find the proof that Dromana's much-loved medico, Watson Eaton, had never received any medical training and I still haven't found his testimony that he'd never attended University. It looked as if I'd never find the article about the tragedy near Cape Schanck which revealed that young Brady was a teacher at Geelong. Constant changes of search terms on trove (e.g. BRADY TEACHER GEELONG; BRADY ROSEBUD; HEADMASTER DROWNED) brought no results until I tried BRADY MOUNT EVERGREEN.
SAD DEATH BY DROWNING.
A BATHING FATALITY.
Yesterday morning the news of the death by drowning of Mr Thos. W.A.Royce, principal of the Geelong Ladies' College in Ryrie-street east, caused a general expression of deep regret. The lamentable occurrence was known to several gentlemen in Geelong late on Thursday night, but the sad intelligence was not communicated to the relatives until yesterday morning.
The first intimation of the unfortunate affair was communicated from Cape Schanck lighthouse, situated about 20 miles to the eastward of Port Phillip Heads, when it was reported by telegraph that a man was seen drifting out to sea, and the alarm bell at Queenscliff was tolled to attract the attention of the life-boat crew.
The facts connected with the sad event were elicited from Mr F. Brady, one of the masters engaged at the Junior Grammar School, who returned last evening from the scene of the accident. The late Mr Royce, about ten days since, went with Mr Brady to his father's farm at Mount Evergreen, situated between Dromana and Mount Schanck, about 10 miles from the coast, to pass a portion of the school holidays.
He spent a very pleasant time in the locality, and intended returning to Geelong on Wednesday last, but there not being any steamer crossing from Dromana on that day a party was made up for an outing to the coast on Thursday. About noon on the last named day a brother of Mr Brady (either William John, born 1862 or Obadiah Whitfield, born 1864, there being no other brothers), a friend named Ruddock (Rudduck), Mr Royce, and a fourth gentleman whose name has not transpired, went into the sea to have a bath at a site three miles on the Point Nepean side of Cape Schanck.
The place selected for the swim was a deep crescent shaped inlet in the rocks, beyond which was a ledge of rocks lashed by the waves, the intervening space forming a deep channel through which there was an exceptionally strong current. The four swimmers, with the view of reaching the outer rocks, ventured to cross the channel, but soon found that the current was too strong for them and all but Mr Royce were able to regain the still water in the rocky crescent. Poor Mr Royce, as he was swept down the channel, vainly cried for assistance, and his companions made an effort to rescue him but were driven back again owing to the force of the current, one of them narrowly escaping the fate of the rapidly disappearing schoolmaster.
For several minutes Mr Royce was observed struggling on the tops of the waves, and finally he was lost to view. A close search was made along the coast for the unfortunate swimmer, and his friends had to reluctantly conclude that he had been drowned, and whilst two members of the party gave information of the affair to the lighthouse keeper at Cape Schank; young Brady rode off towards Mount Evergreen, and meeting his brother, Mr F. Brady, made him acquainted with the accident.
Parties were at once formed for searching the coast line in the hope that Mr Joyce might have been washed ashore, but up to last night no tidings of the missing swimmer had been received, and our Queenscliff correspondent wired-" There is nothing known here about the man drowned near Cape Schanck on Thursday. It is impossible for the body to be found at Queenscliff, owing to the prevailing winds, which are westerly."
The late Mr Royce, who was 30 years of age, was married to Miss Horsley, of Ballarat, who has been left with five children, the youngest being a baby in arms. The deceased gentleman was the second eldest son of the Rev. J. S. H.Royce, of Yarra-street south, a superannuated clergyman of the Wesleyan denomination. He was a student of Wesley College, Melbourne, and afterwards completed his education at the Melbourne University. For a considerable period he was one of the masters of the Geelong Scotch College,and after leaving that scholastic institution he became one of the masters in the Ballarat Ladies' College, under Mr Buley?, the principal of that college.
When Mr M'Burney? was retiring some years since from the Geelong Ladies' College, in Gheringhap-street, the institution was taken in hand by the late Mr Royce, and the school was subsequently removed to premises in Myers-street, vacated by Mr W. F. Ducker, and a few months since the college was removed to a handsome villa at the corner of Ryrie and Swanston streets. The late Mr Royce was one of the trustees of the Yarra-street Wesleyan church, and was a firm adherent of the Wesleyan denomination and frequently officiated as a local preacher.He took a great interest in all educational matters, and acted as secretary of the University Extension lectures, and he has filled the position of a member of the Geelong Free Library.
(P.3, Geelong Advertiser, 21-1-1893.)
As my correction of digitisation in the article missed a few mistakes and you can bet that funny things will happen to apostrophes etc when I submit, Royce researchers should send me a F.T.C. private message asking me to email the proper correction of text to you.
EARLY SUB-DIVIDERS NEAR JETTY RD, ROSEBUD, VICTORIA , AUSTRALIA.
I wrote the following as a post on the HISTORY OF DROMANA TO PORTSEA Facebook group page. Send me a F.T.C. private message if you need information referred to as being in other posts.
EARLY ROSEBUD SUBDIVIDERS NEAR JETTY ROAD.
The subdivision bounded by Pt Nepean Rd, Parkmore Rd, South Rd and Adams Ave. has been mentioned before in relation to the Adams family and will not be dealt with here. This post arises from two chance discoveries. The first is testimony given by Mrs De Garis after her husband faked his first suicide and the second is W.F.Vale's sale of the unsold portions of Woolcott's estate, which I have been trying to find for ages.
Charles Blakey had bought crown allotment 18 between the line of Adams Avenue and Jetty Rd prior to 1875 and tried to subdivide the 152 acres but only sold the 2 acre lot 86 on the FJ's corner. Bullocky Bob White knew about this when he bought his 150 acres but the purchase of the corner block was not registered in the titles office. This led to the Lake brothers trying to eject Jack Jones circa 1890, which has been mentioned before. The Bamfords and the Pottons later owned the farm about which Peter Wilson wrote a chapter called Henry Potton's Farm in ON THE ROAD TO ROSEBUD. He included much detail about De Garis but the chance discovery provides information given by his distraught wife (nee Austin) not found in Peter's book or other articles.
SEARCH FOR MR DE GARIS Wile's Statement MEETING OF COMMITTEEMEN MELBOURNE, Jan. 6.
Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1926) Wednesday 7 January 1925 p 5 Article
Woolcott apparently subdivided crown allotment 17, the land between Jetty Rd. and the line of Norm Clark Walk, in about 1877. George and Susan Peatey bought lot 76 of just over 2 acres in 1878 with a loan from Nelson Rudduck and occupied it 10 years later when they paid off the loan.
By 1900 the Commercial Bank had 84 of the 129 acres and in 1910, Henry Bucher 4 lots, Annie Eliza Cairns lots 29-32, Rosebud Ted Cairns lots 49-54 which he'd just sold to Alf Hansen (*sic) and lot 74, Henry George Chapman 2 lots, the Coburns lots 57-60, Alf Hansen (sic) lots 23, 24, 75, 77, 79, John McConchie lots 37-40, Robert Cairns lots 5 and 6, Mrs Susan Peatey lot 76, Mary B.Stone (a.k.a. Polly Vine) lots 25-28 and Vale** 84 acres. John Fallow had lot 80, and Mrs J.Spensley 4 lots.
Advertising
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Saturday 9 January 1909 p 21 Advertising
(*The early Rosebud map notes that Alf Hansen (sic) built the first shop on the Clacton-on-Sea Estate as a land sales office. Alf (1884-1960) was the fifth child of Hans Christian Hanson and Ellen (nee Olson) from Norway who owned "Alpine Chalet" at the north end of Tucks Rd from about 1887. Alf married Frances Ada Elizabeth Purves, a descendant of the real Tootgarook pioneering Purves. MEMORIES OF A LARRIKIN is the biography of his son Hec,, written by Petronella Wilson.)
(**The Vale family had been involved in Peninsula affairs since the 1850's when a letter was written about the splendid opportunities offered in the parish of Moorooduc near Schnapper Point.
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. MT ELIZA AND SNAPPER'S POINT.
P. 7, Argus, 27-12-1855.
Vale bought much land in Mornington, hence Vale St, and later owned Dalkeith near the Mornington turn off. This passed to his daughter Phyllis, Mrs Jackson, who also owned the Boniyong Stud south of the junction of Jetty and Browns Rd, the subject of another post.)
DID JOHN McLIVER INHERIT LORD CLYDE'S PRIZE MONEY? DON'T THINK SO!
JOHN M'LIVER.
John was a pioneer of the Tootgarook area that I'm sure nobody knew about. The only thing I knew about him was that he was not Lord (or Baron) Clyde's brother but that in 1869,it was assumed by the press that he would inherit the prize money won by Colin Campbell,who was born Colin M'Liver. The surname was actually McLiver but often appeared in newspapers with the apostrophe. He must have been related in some way to Baron Clyde whose father's name was John McLiver. The following is my attempt to provide details about John before and after the widespread publicity in 1869 but I can't guarantee that all references are to the same person.
DAVID HOWELL and Thomas B. Young will hear of imports I have by sending their address to John M'Liver, Williamstown Post Office.(P.1, Argus, 5-10-1853.)
NOTICE TO CARRIERS.
TO THE EDITOR OP THE ARGUS.
Sir,- Allow us to draw your attention to proceedings that took place at the Police Court,Swanston-street, this afternoon. We attended there to obtain a form of application for a carrier's licence, when a police officer
informed us there were no printed forms to be had. We were leaving, when a carrier, Edward Rowland, of Preston, came out to get change to pay for a form the police officer had written out for him at a charge of 2s. 6d. We told Edward Rowland the charge was only 1s. He stated to the officer the charge was only 1s, when the
officer said; "You may go and get one where you can." We then applied at tho office on tho left hand side of the entrance, and there obtained the printed forms at 1s. each.
We are, Sir, your humble servants, JNO. MARRIOTT,JOHN M'LIVER. 251 Elizabeth-street, Melbourne.
(P.6, Argus, 23-5-1859.)
FOR SALE, a young HORSE, three years old, from Van Dieman's Land. John M'Liver, Armstrong's Stables.
(P.8, Argus, 20-6-1859.)
FOUR-ROOMED verandah COTTAGE, newly built, quarter-acre garden, to LET, at Benevolent Asylum, foot Spencer-Street, rent low. John M'Liver,251 Elizabeth-street.(P.1, Argus, 24-9-1859.)
Contract Accepted. â Extras on John M'Liver's contract, No. 817 of 1860, for fencing batteries at Sandridge, £20, John M'Liver. (P.5,The Age, 7-11-1860.)
CONTRACTS ACCEPTED.
...; Sydney and Heathcote roads, erection of mile-posts,£24, John M'Liver; Melbourne district, erection
of mile-posts, £43 15s., John M'Liver ; (P.5,Argus,26-1-1861.)
ANOTHER CONTRACT.
erection of mile-posts, £52 8s, John M'Liver. Melbourne to Ballaarat :(P.7,The Age, 1-1-1862.)
LAND SELECTION AT MELTON.
Mr John M'Liver entered a protest against the selection , Ellen Cecil of lots 4 of sec. 2, and 1 2 of sec. 8, she being under age. (P.25,Leader, 6-4-1867.)
M'LIVER-MAHONY.-On thE 4th ult., at St. Francis',John M'Liver, Kingston, Canada West, to Mary Mahony, Killcommon, Tipperary, Ireland. (P.4,Argus, 3-3-1868.)
The Herald of Saturday states:â"At the present moment a tiller of the soil is about to proceed to Europe to enforce his claim as next of kin to the late Lord Clyde, better known as Sir Colin Campbell. M'Liver, the free selector on Boneo, in the district of Tootgarook, who for some time has been, content to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, bursts suddenly upon us as the heir-presumptive to the son of Mr John M'Liver, of Glasgow, and; who entered the army as Ensign Campbell in 1808, and who in 1858 was created a peer by the title of Lord Clyde. From what we hear it seems probable that the Australian M'Liver, who until now has been satisfied with the benefits conferred upon him under the 42nd clause of the Land Act, will be able to substantiate his claim to the accumulated prize-money of the hero of Chillianwallah; Alma, and Lucknow.
(P.2s, The Ballarat Star, 30-8-1869.)
Richard Dwyer, a somewhat elderly man, was charged with having stolen a £l note from the dwellinghouse of John
M'Liver, residing near Dromana. He had taken the money during the absence of the prosecutor from his house, and concealed it in his necktie, where it was found upon his being arrested. The note was fully identified by the prosecutor. The prisoner was convicted and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. (P.4, Argus, 2-3-1870.)
CORESPONDENCE.
Letters received-; From Mr..E. M. T. O'Halloran, solicitor,Queen-street, Melbourne forwarding a second application on behalf of Mr. John M'Liver for payment of £283 3s 6d., balance due for work and labour, and intimating that unless the amount with costs was paid within one week proceedings would be instituted against the council.-Cr. Johnston explained that M'Liver had entered into a contract to complete certain work for a
certain sum; the work had not been completed to the satisfaction of the borough inspector, and fresh tenders haIl been invited at his (M'Liver's) risk. He moved that the balance of the contract, less the amount paid to the Second contractor, be paid to Mr. M'Liver. (ST KILDA COUNCIL.The Telegraph, St Kilda, Prahran and South Yarra Guardian (Vic. : 1866 - 1888) Saturday 23 December 1871 p 3 Article)
NEW INSOLVENTS.
John M'Liver, farmer, of Villiers-street, Hotham. Causes of insolvency : High rent and bad crops. Liabilities, £92 5s.; assets, £51 ; deficiency, £41 5s.(P.3,The Age,22-9-1875.)
AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION.
Tbe following forfeited lands will be open
for selection on and after Friday, Nov. 19 Wanraue-John McLiver, 140 acres.
INSOLVENCY COURT.
Friday, 6th October.(Before Judge Noel.) Certificates (of discharge from insolvency)were granted to ...; John M'Liver,Hotham, farmer;etc. (P.6, The Age, 7-10-1876.)
BOARDS FOR HEARING REASONS AGAINST FORFEITURE OF LICENCES.
Benalla, 9th December.â .. Shepparton. llth December.â John M'Liver, 192a.,Arcadia.(P.9, Leader,6-12-1884.)
At the Hawthorn Court on Tuesday, before Messrs. Walsh (chairman), Wallis(mayor),Harbison, Nichol, and Stackpole, a man named John M'Liver was charged with assaulting Ann M'Ewen and trespassing on her premises. He was also sued for £12 rent. According to the complainant's story, the defendant, who resided formerly at Malvern, came to her house at Glen Iris, and asked permission to place cattle in her paddock for a fortnight, promising to pay £12. He made proposals to lease her farm, but on referring to her landlord's agents she was refused permission to sub-let. Defendant had meanwhile taken up his abode with her. When requested to leave he not only refused to do so, but broke into the house, assaulted thecomplainant, and turned her furniture out.
In cross-examination by Mr. Gillott for the defence, Mrs. M'Ewen swore that she did not put her mark to a document produced, which proported to be a receipt for a payment by M'Liver on account of improvements purchased from her, and which it was represented would alter the aspect of the case.The point-blank denial of the complainant resulted in the case being adjourned, in order to allow of a witness being brought who, it
was alleged, saw her make her mark upon it. (P.10,Argus,1-4-1885.)
IMPOUNDED at Williamstown, June 10th, 1886, by John M'Liver. Trespass, ld. each.N.B.John was not the poundkeeper. (P.3, Williamstown Chronicle,19-6-1886.)
THE TRUEMANS OF TOOTGAROOK, VIC., AUST.
EXTRACT FROM MY PENINSULA DICTIONARY HISTORY ABANDONED IN 2011 WHEN I JOINED FAMILY TREE CIRCLES.
TRUEMAN
Lime Land Leisure gives a few details of this pioneering Tootgarook family and unfortunately many are wrong. So rather than start at the very beginning of my findings, I will start at the end; a seventeen page Trueman genealogy supplied to me by Heather Spunner, the wife of James Trueman’s great grandson, Graeme Spunner. The whole of this will be provided to the Rye Historical Society but my summary will begin at page 3.
The family moved around but within the county of Wiltshire. Jeffrey was born in All Cannings in 1719 and died there in 1791, likewise for his son, Thomas, (1743-1810). His son, Thomas, was born at the same village in 1774 but married at Collingbourne Ducis in 1799 and died there in 1841. His son, William, (1800-1870) entered and left the world in this new village. It is of interest that his wife was Jane Bennett, whom he married in 1822. I wonder if Jane was the aunt of Tom Bennett, a peninsula pioneer, and if Tom arranged for James Trueman to come to Tootgarook as a labourer indentured to James Purves. There is little evidence that James would have been able to pay for his passage.
The family seems to have been locked into poverty. Jeffrey was buried by the parish because he had insufficient funds. The same generosity was required for the burial of his son, Thomas’s wife, Elizabeth. William Trueman, Jane and their six children were the recipients of charity from the parish of Collingbourne Ducis in 1837, when money was raised to buy coal for the poor of the parish.
Their first child was James Trueman, born 16-6-1822 in Chute, Wiltshire, which seems to have been Jane’s home village as she died there in 1865. Some of his sisters were Ann, Elizabeth, Ellen and Sarah; I have included them here because no death details have been supplied and one of them could have been the grandmother of the mysterious Mrs Libbis.
James was described as an agricultural labourer in the 1841 Census. He married Jane Cook (b.1827 in Collingbourne Kingston, Wilts.) on 6-6-1850 in Collingbourne Ducis, and in 1851 they were living in Maddington, Wilts. Their first child, Annie, died after living just one month, all 38 days in Collingbourne Ducis. George Trueman was born on 2-3-1852 in Maddington and Henry was born in the same place on 30-9-1855.
Thus when James and Jane boarded the Sabrina at Southampton on 24-1-1857, they had two boys with them, but unfortunately young Henry was destined never to see their new home. He died near the Cape of Good Hope on 10-3-1857. Their passage was swift and they arrived at Hobson’s Bay on 13-4-1857. George must have preferred the open road to farming; he was listed as a carter and James was not impressed with his work on the farm and overlooked him when dividing his grant. He died on 10-10-1932, apparently a bachelor. The other five children were:
SARAH b.1857 Pt Nepean, d.1936 Dromana. Married Charles Moat 1891.
ELLEN b. 1858 Tootgarook, d.1899 Parramatta. Married Henry John Cook.
THOMAS b.1863 Tootgarook, d.1925 Dromana. Married Matilda Elizabeth Geary 1899.
WILLIAM b.20-3-1866 Tootgarook, d.1949 in Wangaratta. Married Elsie George 1901.
JOHN b.1870 Tootgarook, d.1943 in Sorrento. Apparently a bachelor.
Thomas and Matilda had two daughters:
Gladys Emeline Nellie b. 1901, married Andrew Seator in 1932.
Bertha Matilda b. 1906 Pt Nepean, d.1985 Caulfield. Married Lester Brooksbank 1941.
William and Elsie had four children:
Albert Edward b.1902 Tootgarook, d. 1975 Tootgarook
Married Florence Annie Dark 1921.
William b.and d. at Tootgarook 1904.
Frederick James b. 16-1-1908 Pt Nepean, d. 3-11-1959 Sydney.
Married 1. Olive Runciman:child-Linda (McKay)
2. Zita Muriel Hunter at Auburn NSW in 1942.
Nellie May Trueman b. 4-7-1911, d. 27-4-1967 Melb.
Married Frank Ernest Spunner 18-7-1931 Sorrento.
James Trueman died in 16-4-1904 at Pt Nepean and was buried at Rye Cemetery. His wife, Jane died in 1908 at Pt Nepean. It is likely that the cash-strapped government had dispensed with the registrar at Rye so that deaths had to be notified at the quarantine station. As Thomas had the part of the Trueman property bought by Raymond Guest and Thomas died in 1925, I wonder which family member occupied the farm until c.1948. Was it Mrs Libbis?
James Trueman was granted lot 47 in the parish of Wannaeue (consisting of 112 acres) on 5-7-1877. It was on the west side of Truemans Rd, between farms granted to S.Stenniken, near the beach road, and Robert Rowley Snr. It is possible that James had selected the land at least a decade earlier. Linda McKay has confirmed that family folklore has it that James ran some sort of taproom or hotel on the Purves’ Tootgarook Station, which adjoined his farm at the midline of Morris and Keith Streets.
The following information was supplied by Linda McKay of Rosebud, who is a Trueman descendant, and lived on the property until 1938.
It is not known whether the Truemans had a lime kiln but it is likely that James was quarrying limestone on his property. He donated limestone for the building of the Anglican church in Rye (still standing in Lyons St opposite the cemetery, and heritage-listed.) According to LIME, LAND, LEISURE, their neighbours to the north, the Stennikens, did so too.
Some of James Trueman’s children were William T., Thomas, John, George, Ellen and Sarah. The Moat family obviously supplied details of Sarah’s marriage for Lime Land Leisure. (See MOAT-TRUEMAN in the FAMILY CONNECTIONS entry.)
Charles, son of William Moat, married Sarah, daughter of James Trueman. Details about Charles and their children, and possibly Sarah, can be found on pages 27, 35, 47, 52, 54, 55 and 61 of RYE PRIMARY SCHOOL 1667 by Patricia Appleford.
I believe that a female member of the Trueman family married and gave her daughter the Christian names: Stella Elizabeth Trueman, and that the latter married Ernest William Libbis.
TROVE; THE ARGUS, 1-11-1945, PAGE 18, ADVERTISEMENT.
ERNEST WILLIAM LIBBIS, late of Rosebud, guest house proprietor deceased-
After14 days Stella Elizabeth Trueman Libbis of Rosebud, widow, the executrix appointed by the deceased’s will (dated the 23rd July, 1945) will apply to the Supreme Court for grant of probate of the said will, leave being reserved to Ernest Charles Libbis of Rosebud, concreter, the executor appointed thereby, to come in and approve the same at any time. James P.Ogge LL.B Solicitor, 165 Greville St, Prahran.
Mrs S.Libbis was running the Narooma Guest House (Rosebud) in 1947-8 according to John Berry’s accommodation index. It is interesting that Narooma was the town in which Fred Trueman settled in N.S.W. His daughter, Pam Shepherd, is still in Fred’s house.
William T.Trueman married Elsie who died at the age of 54. The details of her death were reported in the Argus. On Monday, 18 February, 1935, Elsie was driving a jinker along Pt Nepean Rd when the horse bolted and she was thrown out of the jinker striking her head. It says much about the volume of traffic in those days that Emily was “found” unconscious. Once alerted, William and his son in law, Frank Spunner, rushed Emily to Melbourne but she had died and the hospital would not accept her body. Think of the sad return trip that William and Frank would have made! As there was no grave available, Elsie was buried at Rye Cemetery with Thomas Trueman who had died in 1925.
There is more interesting detail about Emily but first I will mention their children. Frank Spunner had married their daughter, Nellie. The Spunner family had started as limeburners with a kiln near the foreshore (front beach), just on the Melbourne side of Hughes Rd but some time after 1920 some members had occupied land south of Eastbourne, probably on land granted to Lovie and occupied for many decades by the Crichtons of Glen Lee. This was not far from the Trueman property, which would explain the family connection.
A son of William and Emily found a wife in much the same sort of way that his father had. His name was Fred and he was the father of my wonderful informant Linda McKay. The telephone line was being installed in about 1932 and a chap called Jim Black had come down from Melbourne for this reason, bringing his wife Silvia (Runciman). Fred befriended Jim and was rather taken by beautiful Silvia when he first saw her. He asked jokingly, “Any more like that where she comes from?” Jim probably answered that Silvia’s sister Olive was a bit of a sort too. Fred had probably been too busy growing vegetables (with pumpkins being his principal crop) to have time for womanizing so here was a heaven-sent opportunity.
Fred and Olive married but in 1938 they separated and Olive took Linda back to Melbourne to live with Grandma Runciman. Linda probably appreciated being able to walk without having to look down-for snakes. Their abundance was one of her main memories of the farm.
During the war, Fred was apparently involved in running the Corowa P.O.W. camp where the famous break-out occurred. Fred stayed in N.S.W. and a daughter from his second marriage, Pam Shepherd, lives in Fred’s old house in Narooma. Now back to how Linda’s grandfather, William, met Elsie. There is no timeline on the following yet, but for some reason William’s brother, Thomas, (I suspect, much older) was at Beechworth. Because of the lack of markets, farmers had to leave the farm to earn money and perhaps Thomas was working alongside Hans Christian Hanson (Red Hill pioneer of 1887) “ a bridge building contractor and carpenter, who worked on all the bridges between Melbourne and Bright”. (Memoirs of a Larrikin P.9.)
Now, if there had been TV and programs such as Farmer Meets a Wife (or what ever they call it), the Trueman men might have left more descendants and information, but I think you’ll agree that Linda is doing a pretty good job of having this pioneering family recognized. In Beechworth, Thomas met Matilda, and (after he waltzed her-sorry, my humour gets out of hand after 1am) they married. Having a daughter of about 19, Matilda was no spring chicken. Thus Thomas arrived back at the farm with a wife and a grown-up stepdaughter. William seized this heaven-sent opportunity and married Emily.
John Trueman had severe arthritis and according to LIME LAND LEISURE was practically bedridden. After knocking over a lamp, he was unable to escape the resulting fire and died from his burns.
Rate records.
1864,65. Nil. James was probably running the tap room at Tootgarook Station and managing it while the Purves attended to their other properties* and traveled to Melbourne with horses to sell at Kirk’s Bazaar and for other purposes, which Hollinshed dwells on.) *See Purves entry.
POSTSCRIPT 2015. THE ONLY TROVE REFERENCE TO THE TAP ROOM FOUND IS PETER PURVES' APPLICATION FOR THE (FIRST) TOOTGAROOK HOTEL IN 1857.
1879.James Trueman (leasing from Crown) 112 acres. The grant was issued on 18-7-1877! See what I mean about errors being perpetuated in rate books through copying the previous year’s entries?
1900. James Trueman 125 (sic) acres.
1910. Thomas Trueman Rye farmer, 62 ½ (sic) acres 31b (sic)
William Trueman, Rye farmer, 62 ½ (sic) acres 31b (sic)
1920. Thomas Trueman, Rye, 56 acres, part crown allotment 47
William Trueman, Rye, 56 acres, part crown allotment 47.
See what I mean about errors being perpetuated? They had it right by 1920.
Unfortunately the microfiched rate records end at 1920, but as has been shown, at least half of lot 47 was farmed until 1938. The Stenniken grant had been offered for subdivision in 1920. (See STENNIKEN entry.)
The following information about the Truemans comes from Nell Arnold’s “RYE: A BOOK OF MEMORIES.”
It is understood that the first inn in the Rye area was the Tootgarook Inn built by James Trueman and dating from the early 1850’s.
The first building on the site of St Andrew’s Anglican church was a limestone hall built in 1866 that served as a school and a place of worship (probably shared by different denominations like Dromana’s Union Church). By the time it became a State School, it was in need of serious repair and when part of a wall fell down, schooling continued in a room attached to John Campbell’s hotel. A new school on the present site commenced in 1875.
There is a claim in LIME LAND LEISURE that the Stennikens donated limestone for the Church of England. Yet Nell Arnold backs up Linda McKay’s claim that the Truemans donated it. Can both claims be correct? With the original building no longer needed as a school, it was demolished in 1875 and the limestone blocks (probably donated by Stennikens circa 1865) supplemented by limestone donated by James Trueman (circa 1875) were used to construct the original portion of the present church.
The two small brass vases (very heavy) are in memory of Elsie Trueman, relative (ie. daughter in law and grand daughter in law!) of James Trueman. As she was the wife of William, she was a daughter in law and because she was the daughter of Thomas’s wife she was a grand daughter!
W.Trueman was in Rye Cricket Club’s first published team list of season 1890-1.
We must thank Marie of Tootgarook for the following information, given to her by Raymond Guest, who was her hairdresser in Canterbury. Raymond’s father, was also a hairdresser and looked after many TV stars including Panda, Graham Kennedy’s famous barrel girl on In Melbourne Tonight. He bought part of the Trueman grant in about 1948, probably after the Libbis will of 1945 had been finalized, and it is likely that the will involved Thomas Trueman’s 56 acres. See the GUEST entry for further details. I have managed to contact Raymond Guest and he has sent me a subdivision plan of the ALMARAY ESTATE (named after his parents, Alma and Ray.) Ray alerted me to neighbouring land being owned by a Mr Doig and another speculative phone call resulted in contact with Ron Doig and his wife, both local history enthusiasts.
(The following comes from Ronald Doig, whose mother was a Rowley.)
In 1939 Henry Doig bought part of James Trueman’s grant, most likely William Trueman’s 56 acres, which had passed to Fred. When Fred and Olive separated, Fred had probably sold the property before going to New South Wales because Henry Doig bought his land from Mrs Murkett. See the DOIG entry for details.
Streets on the Trueman grant are named after the Guest and Doig families.
No members of the Trueman or Libbis families are listed in The Sands and McDougall directories of 1950 for Rosebud, Rosebud West or Rye. However the ACCOMMODATION entry near the beginning of this work shows that Mrs S.Libbis was running the Narooma Guest house in the summer of 1947-8.
It is now clear that James Trueman built his house close to the boundary between his farm and James Purves’ Tootgarook Station. One would expect that he would have built it near the government road (Truemans Rd); the fact that he built it at the back of the block indicates that HE WAS WORKING ON Purves’ Tootgarook PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT. It was this house that Thomas later occupied, and his 56 acre farm was subdivided by Alma and Ray Guest as the Almaray Estate. The Trueman house pictured in Joseph Dubois’ historical newspaper belonged to William Trueman and his son Fred. Harry Doig’s family lived in this house and Ron Doig’s photo (taken during their time there) shows little change except for the addition of iron ornamentation on the veranda. The Doig farm was subdivided as the Oceanaires Estate.
Finally, Ron Doig has confirmed that James Trueman’s taproom on the Tootgarook Station was the building that became the Bright family’s home. The Brights had a portion of Tootgarook Station,450 acres of which was the Jennings’ Rye Park.
The following detail comes from “Lime Land Leisure”.
James Trueman married Jane somebody. They had sons named Tom, William, George and John. A daughter, Sarah, married Charles Moat. Their marriage was said to have been the second performed at St Andrews Church of England ie. in 1875. They had a son named William, who married (Ada Campbell. This is wrong; William Moat married Ada Elizabeth Myers!)
Thomas Trueman married Matilda in 1899. William married Matilda’s daughter, Elsie.Their daughter, Gladys, married a son of Edward Williams of Chinamans Creek (Eastbourne.) Another daughter was named Bertha. Wrong! Gladys and Bertha were daughters of Thomas Trueman and Gladys married Andrew Seator.
Although the mystery of the Trueman-Libbis connection is yet to be solved, some great genealogical detail has been supplied by Heather Spunner of Berrigan, N.S.W.
James Trueman married Jane Cook on 6-6-1850 in Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire. Their first child was born in September 1850 but died in October. George was born on 2-3-1852 and had much more luck, living for eighty years before dying in Prahran in 1932. Henry was born on 10-3-1855. James and Jane, with their two boys, left England aboard the “Sabrina” on 24-1-1857 and they had a quick voyage, arriving at Hobsons Bay on 13-4-1857. Unfortunately young Henry died at sea on 10-3-1857 near the Cape of Good Hope. Sarah was born at Pt Nepean in 1857 and Ellen at Tootgarook in 1858. (They were probably both born at Tootgarook; birth records refer to the place of registration and there was probably no registrar at Tootgarook until 1858.) Their other three children were Thomas, William and John.
Ellen married Henry John Cook and Heather Spunner succeeded in tracing some of their children despite them departing the scene. See her findings in the Libbis entry.
Although there may be no relationship to the Truemans at all, it is interesting that a Stella Gladys Myrtle Cook obtained a divorce from Bernard Charles Cook (Sydney Morning Herald 14-12-1927 page 12.) Her three given names are shared with Stella Libbis, a daughter of Thomas Trueman and Ellen Trueman’s first child (Myrtle Cook).
THE BUSH NURSING HOSPITAL AND THE FAMOUS ARTHURS SEAT HILL CLIMB AT DROMANA, VIC., AUST.
DROMANA BUSH NURSING HOSPITAL AND THE FAMOUS ARTHUR'S SEAT HILL CLIMB.
Godfrey Burdett Wilson died in 1919 but his widow Maria (nee Stenniken) lived on in Burdett Cottage, Heales St (Dromana) until her death in 1927. Her home then became the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital, which was later transferred to the site now occupied by the Dromana Nursing Home.* (P.46 A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.) Someone mentioned that a family member had been been in a private hospital in Heales St in the (late 1920's?) and this had almost certainly been Burdett Cottage.
(*The site referred to as the Dromana Nursing Home is on the inside angle of Pt Nepean Rd where it turns to become the beach road. Opposite the B.P. garage, it was the north west corner of Nelson Rudduck's Karadoc (crown allotment 8,section 1, Kangerong), of 103 acres, which extended east to Ponderosa Place/ Palmerston Ave and south for (960?) links to the Williams St, Seacombe St midline. It is now occupied by a child-minding centre and an apartment complex currently under construction.)
BUSH NURSING MOVEMENT AT DROMANA.
Three Acres of Land Given.
A proposal for the establishment of a bush nursing hospital at Dromana was investigated by the honorary secretary of the Bush Nursing Association (Sir James Barrett) on Saturday. It is proposed to rent a private hospital* until money has been obtained for a building on land in Point -Nepean Road, Dromana. Three acres of land, valued at about L1000 been given by Mr.N. Rudduck, of Dromana, for the purpose, and the district committee is seeking support from residents. The Dromana division of the Country Women's Association has promised to support the committee. (* i.e. Burdett cottage,as above.)
(P.18,Argus, 23-12- 1929.)
N.B. Despite Mr Bean's appearance in the area in the 1920's, his family appears to have been associated with the area as early as 1865 when the name appeared in George McLear's account books.
EXTRACT FROM MY JOURNAL "HERITAGE WALK, DROMANA."
MR BEAN AND THE RACING CARS.
DROMANA'S MR BEAN. Herbert Josiah Bean was the man on whose property the new golf course was constructed. The land also had some sort of a speedway with a gravel surface on it. The R.A.C.V. conducted speed challenges on it; by a strange coincidence our Mr Bean was the President of the club. (Argus 1-10-1931 page 8 and 3-12-1928 page 17 re the Safety Beach circuit; proceeds went to the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital.) Herbert sold land to Mrs Guilfoyle and their dispute is reported on page 11 of the Argus of 21-7-1926. Herbert was a merchant of Flinders Lane. It would appear that the Lochley Chase Guest House would have occupied only a small portion of Bean's original property.
Now we will look at an article on page 13 in The Argus of 27-11-1928, about nine years after the last assessment available on microfiche.
SPORTS AT DROMANA. Opening New Course. Safety Beach, Dromana has been chosen by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria as the site for acceleration and speed tests on Saturday, December 1st. Safety Beach is the name which has been given to a level stretch of foreshore extending from the south side of Mt Martha for about two miles to the outskirts of Dromana Township. The tests will not be held on the beach but on level gravel roads which have been laid in a wide stretch of plain extending back from the sea to the Point Nepean road. This is an old grazing property that has been taken up recently for residential development. There are about 750 acres in the plain and the new roads which have been levelled, graded and coated with gravel, have a total length of about seven miles. The corners of the roads have been rounded and widened to allow for the swinging of the cars on the turns. The country is slightly undulating but the roads have no considerable gradients. There are some clumps of scrub on the land but a view of the whole course will be available from almost any position.
Alongside the portion of the estate where the tests will be held are areas reserved for a golf course and an aerodrome. The aerodrome will come into use on the day of the tests, for there is to be a race between an aeroplane and a car. Mr J.McLaren, an official of the Light Car Club, has arranged for a plane to be brought from the Coode Island Airport for the event. Mr McLaren has lately taken up flying and is having a plane constructed for his personal use at the Larkin Aircraft Works at Coode Island. He expects to make Safety Beach a regular rendezvous for motorists and golfers and is negotiating for daily calls to be made there by the Melbourne-Launceston aerial mail services, which is now being organised. The site is a basin of wide area in the gap between Mt Martha and Arthurs Seat.The beach road deviation which leads from Mornington Esplanade past the Mt Martha Hotel leads to the site.
EXTRACT FROM MY JOURNAL "REV. WILLIAM H.TAYLOR'S EASY JIGSAW PUZZLE."
TAYLOR. On the 21st April, at Safety Beach, Dromana, Victoria, Rev. William H. Taylor, dearly loved husband of Esther, and loving father of Rev. F. W. Taylor (Numurkah),Will H. Taylor (450 Little Collins-street, Melbourne), Win (Mrs. W. G.Roberts, Main Ridge), Rene (Mrs.A. McCutcheon, Cavendish), and Doris (deceased). At rest.(P.1, Examiner, Launceston,3-5-1935.)
Now I'm wondering why this notice was in a Tassie newspaper and how Win Taylor came to meet W.G.Roberts of Main Ridge.
TAYLOR/ ROBERTS/ BEAN.
Reverend Taylor (see previous comment) had probably been at Safety Beach for at least seven years and was involved with the Mornington Peninsula Development League, apparently handling the sale of badges to raise funds for improvements on Arthurs Seat.
PENINSULA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE MEETING AT HASTINGS.
Frankston and Somerville Standard (Vic. : 1921 - 1939) Friday 16 November 1928 p 2 Article.
BEAUTIFUL MARINE DRIVE.
Rev. Taylor said how favorably impressed Mr. Clapp was with Marine Drive when he visited Mornington recently. Mr. Clapp was most anxious to see the road trafficable: Rev. Taylor said the best thanks of the league were due to Mr. Jackson for his efforts in having Marine Drive attended to in Flinders shire portion.
I was thinking Rev. Taylor might have been the Presbyterian minister at Dromana in the 1890's until I found this.
News of the Churches. MORNINGTON AND DROMANA CIRCUIT
Spectator and Methodist Chronicle (Melbourne, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Wednesday 18 April 1917 p 439 Article
News of the Churches.
MORNINGTON AND DROMANA CIRCUIT (extract)
Mr Roberts was appointed the Sunday School visitor. Rev. W. H. Taylor reported that he had visited most of the Sunday Schools in the interest of the Young Australia Temperance League, and that nearly all the scholars had signed the pledge. The resignation of Mr.Trewin, the Junior Circuit Steward, on account of ill health, was accepted, and Mr. Counter was appointed in his place.
IT'S A SMALL WORLD! You can say that again! Okay, IT'S A SMALL WORLD!
This has nothing to do with Red Hill but after all the Red Hill Lions Club does publish HILL 'N' RIDGE and the Roberts family pioneered Main Ridge decades before it had that name.
I wouldn't mind betting that the Rev.W.H.Taylor was living in the house on the north west corner of Seaview and Victoria St, Safety Beach at the time of his death in 1935. This house was the homestead of Mr Bean,one time president of the R.A.C.V., who organised the R.A.C.V.speed trials at Safety Beach, and was probably introduced to Spencer Jackson by Rev.W.H.Taylor himself. (See my journals about SAFETY BEACH and SPENCER JACKSON AND THE BUS BAN for sources.)
GOLDEN WEDDING.
TAYLOR-BEAN-On the 2nd April, 1885, at the residence of the bride's parents "Sutton" Haines street, North Melbourne, by the Rev J W Crisp, assisted by the Rev.W.H. Taylor, brother of the bridegroom Frank E Taylor, youngest son of Mr and Mrs.J.E. Taylor,North Melbourne to Louisa, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs J.Bean. (Present Address, 20 Grace St, Moonee Ponds.)
(Family Notices,The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tuesday 2 April 1935 p 1.)
ONCE SAFETY BEACH STARTED BECOMING A RESIDENTIAL AREA, FUNDS DONATED BY THE R.A.C.V. COULD HAVE DRIED UP. I WONDER IF SPENCER JACKSON CAME UP WITH THIS GREAT IDEA.
TESTING MOTOR CARS.
Hill Climb at Dromana.
In view of the hill climb to be held today at Arthur's Seat. Dromana, the Royal
Automobile Club of Victoria, in conjunction with the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital executive, direct attention of visitors to the fact that from mid-day onwards, the climb itself will be closed to the ordinary public.The best approach from Melbourne is that by way of Moat's Corner and Red Hill.
Ample provision has been made for the parking of cars at the top, near the finishing point. Similar provision has been made at the starting point. The first event is timed to start at 1 p.m., and it is predicted that about 60 cars will be taking part. Admission lo the enclosure will be by button or badge. These will be sold by
members of thee Dromana Bush-Nursing Hospital committee, the whole of the proceeds of the event being devoted to that institution. (P.12, The Age, 14-1-1933.)
BUSH NURSING HOSPITAL OPENED AT DROMANA.
BEDS FOR NINE PATIENTS.
Dromana. Sunday. - The Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital was officially opened on Saturday afternoon bv Mrs J. S.Fraser vice president of the Victorian Bush Nursing Association in the presence of a large assemblage from all parts of the Mornington Peninsula. The hospital will be available to residents in the shire of Flinders.
It is built on three acres of land which was given by Mr Nelson Rudduck of Dromana and it is constructed of concrete and brick. Mr. K. F.Elliott architect supervised the work which was carried out bv Messrs Hunt and Roberts, contractors, of Red Hill. The hospital has accommodation for nine inpatients. The building cost £1300 of which £700 was raised in the district and £600 was advanced bv the Victorian Bush Nursing Association for 15 years at interest of 1 per cent.
The furniture and fittings were bought bv the Dromana women's auxiliary of which Mrs.B.Wilson is president and Mrs.V.Allen honorary secretary. The sitting room was furnished by Mr Nelson Rudduck in memory of his wife.
Memorial gates are being erected by the people of Dromana and district in memory of the first president of the hospital, the late Mr. A. V. Shaw. Councillor G. Higgins (Higgens), president of the hospital, expressed the gratitude of the committee to the association for its assistance. The honorary secretary of the association (Sir James Barrett) said that there were 31 bush nursing hospitals in Victoria, and the number would be increased to 34 this year. A new hospital would be opened at Rushworth on April 2, and one at Lilydale at the end of April.(P.6, Argus, 20-3-1933.)
DROMANA BUSH NURSING HOSPITAL
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wednesday 7 July 1937 p 7 Article Illustrated (PHOTO.)
AROUND THE PENINSULA
DROMANA.
Notification has been received by Cr. E. Rudduck that the Charities Board has decided to take over the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital and make it a Community Hospital. The Council discussed the matter at the last meeting and decided to call a big public meeting of the residents of the Shire. The decision of the Board to make Dromana Hospital a Community one is a sound one. The need for a central hospital to the municipality is vital, and Dromana is the locality for the hospital. With a first class ambulance now available, sick and injured people can be rushed from all parts of the Peninsula to the. hospital. The Flinders' Shire are to be commended on their enterprise, in procuring the ambulance, which will fill a long felt want in the municipality.
(P.6, Standard, Frankston, 10-10-1946.)
WHO NAMED DROMANA AND SORRENTO,VIC., AUST., AND WHEN? THE NAMING OF BENDIGO.
Georgiana McCrae had been told by 1851 by Charles Latrobe that a township was planned for the coastal strip on the west of Arthurs Seat. Fear that the homestead area of the Arthur's Seat would be swallowed by this township was a factor in Andrew McCrae deciding to relinquish the Run, which was taken up by the Burrells.
The very fact that a township was planned is an indication that the timber on Arthurs Seat was already being exploited. It would be a miracle if there were any details in The Argus about the early timber-getters so the assertion that many of them were Irish will have to be accepted for now. Drom is the Gaelic word for hill or ridge (Droim (ridge, hillock) Drum-, Drim-, Drom- Drumcree, Drumanoo, Drumcondra).
The connection between our Dromana and the one in Ireland was illustrated by Cr Pittock's recent visit to the latter. See the following:
Off to Dromana House in Ireland, to be sure | MPNEWS
mpnews.com.au/…/.../off-to-dromana-house-in-ireland-to-be-…/
For decades after Dromana was officially named, the location of properties in a huge area near Arthurs Seat was specified as (Rosebud,Main Creek etc) NEAR DROMANA. In 1855, Alexander Cains and R.AMOS (not Airley) bought Menstrie Mains on the north west corner of Boneo and Browns Rd and G.Warren obtained the grant for c/a 18 bounded by today's beach road, Adams Avenue, Eastbourne Rd and Jetty Rd. Dromana had obviously not been named, Arthurs Seat being used to indicate location.
At Arthur's Seat, eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay.
13 143a 2r l6p, per 3, A Cairns and R Airey, 20 s. (per acre)
28 152a 2r 16p, G. W. Warren, 21s (per acre.)
It was at about this time that a gold-mining area was officially named Sandhurst, provoking much opposition (for which I have no time to find examples), the miners preferring the commonly used name of Bendigo. The following explanation involving two pioneering families on the peninsula. The name GRICE was associated with Sunnyside etc. near Mornington and William MYERS,a descendant of a squatter near Bendigo bought the Journeaux estate in Balnarring; hence the name of Myers Rd between Junction Rd and the Bittern railway station.)
ORIGIN OF THE NAME "BENDIGO."
The origin of the name "Bendigo" has, time after time, led to much controversy. Now, the origin of the name is thus accounted for. A few old residents are yet in existence who will remember that Messrs.Heap and Grice occupied as a station run the country now forming the Sandhurst district. On this question, says the INDEPENDENT, we have been shown an extract from a letter received by Dr. Pounds from Mr. Grice which should put the matter at rest for ever. Mr. Grice writes:—"Tell your friends who want to know the origin of Bendigo, that it was named by Tom Myers, Heap and Grice's overseer, in 1841. Tom himself was a bit of a dab with his fists, and a great admirer of the boxer Bendigo: hence the name." From "Tom Myers" those well-known localities Myers' Flat and Myers' Creek take their names.
(P.17, Australian Town and Country Journal, 21-9-1878.)
Perhaps this opposition led to the realisation by the government that Aussies no longer wanted the names they had bestowed on areas changed to honour big nobs. Not much later, Dromana had an official name!
DROMANA.
At Arthur's Seat, on the eastern shore of Port Phillip Bay, county of Mornington, parish of Kangerong. (Grantees listed.)
P.6, Argus, 19-8-1856.)
There is no reason to doubt Charles Gavan Duffy's claim to have christened the Sorrento area. You can bet your bottom dollar that if there was another explanation for the origin of the name, PUNCH would have delivered the KNOCKOUT PUNCH. There were many papers which lampooned Duffy and if Punch or these other papers had any evidence to counter his claim, they would have rejoiced in doing so. Another grantee before the village of Sorrento existed, indeed the reason for its birth, William Allison Blair, would have taken any opportunity to bring his foe down a peg or two if Duffy's claim was not true.
Sorrento's Papa.
MR.PUNCH.—DEAR SIR.—You are sometimes hard upon me, but I know you will do me justice.I am the paternal parent of Sorrento, and I christened it into the bargain.Coppin is an innovation, quite a recent importation. I invented Sorrento, and made a pretty penny by it; and didn't Kerferd, Anderson, Casey, and a lot more go into the spec. and profit by it?
Yours, C.G.D. (P.7, Melbourne Punch, 25-1-1877.)
SORRENTO.
Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1924) Thursday 31 December 1874 p 3 Article
Some years ago Mr (now Sir Charles) Duffy paid a visit to Dr Callan, his brother-in-law, medical officer of the sanitary station, and was much struck with the beauty of this locality. He conceived it would become a favourite watering place for Melbourne residents, and selected a large area of land which he christened Sorrento, probably being struck with its natural features, much resembling Italian scenery.
Unfortunately, most of Duffy's grants near Sorrento do not bear the date on which each was issued. Some that do were purchased after the village was declared but crown allotment 60, Nepean, of 28 acres, on the north east corner of Hughes and Melbourne Rds (occupied today by Hester, Kay and Rowland Sts and most of Derrick St) was granted on 23-10-1868, proof that Duffy was there prior to the village.
In looking for the first mention of the village of Sorrento, I discovered a perfect example of the constant lampooning of Charle Gavan Duffy.
The Village of Sorrento.—Mr. Charles Gavan Duffy, has his eye on the sweet little village of Sorrento, which for the information of the ignorant we may state is not a thousand miles by water from Queenscliffe nor is it a hundred by land from the sanitary station, at Point Nepean. Mr. Duffy is solicitous about the Somersetshire passengers.Unfortunate ladies and gentleman, they have been vaccinated and fumigated and what not; and-now they are cut off from all communication with the civilised world. Would it not be well,.asks Mr. Duffy, to connect them by telegraph. The electric flash can't possibly infect Melbourne, and then there's Sorrento.
—shrewd Mr, Duffy! (P.3, Bendigo Advertiser, 5-6-1871.)
Strangely the subdivision sale of Williamson's Paddock in Toorak confirms the Italian origin of Sorrento's name.
Note.-The most splendid views are really to be obtained from this property. Away to the westward, over the bay and Williamstown, the You Yangs and the Anakies rise like the outline of the Forshireth, near Suez, sweeping a course N.B. and S., round to the Heads again, and carrying with them the heights of Mounts Martha, Eliza, Dromana, and Arthur's Seat, and passing the now " new Italiano" of Victoria, known as tho pretty village of Sorrento. (P.2, Argus, 29-1-1872.)
And this is the first instance I have found of the official use of Sorrento as a place name in Victoria. Any earlier reference to village of Sorrento concerns the place in Italy.
A SALE of CROWN LANDS, by public auction, will be held at 2 o'clock of Friday, 7th January, 1870, at the Government auctioneers rooms, Melbourne. The following lots will be offered :
TOWN LOTS.
Sorrento, county of Mornington, parish of Nepean, on Port Phillip Bay, at Sorrento Point. Upset price,£8 per acre. Allotments 1, 2,3 and 4, 5 and 0,7 and .8, 0 and 10,11, sec, 1 ; 1 and 2, 8, 4,5 and 0, 7 and 8,
0,10,11 and 12, seo. 2, 2r. 10 0 10p. to la. 26p.
SUBURBAN LOTS.
County of Mornington, parish of Nepean, on Port Phillip Bay, adjoining the village of Sorrento. Upset prices £2 10s to £3 per acre. Allotments 1 to 16 la. Sr/ Jfp. to Sa 3r. 27p. (P.7, Argus, 20-12-1869.)
Sidney Smith Crispo should not have listened to the Italian. This was on the end of his letter about the creation of the village of Sorrento. I spent a week trying to find any connection between DROMANA and Italy or Crispi/Crispo.
Dromana was named after a town in Italy, where Signor Crispi has a large house, I used to think it an aboriginal name till an Italian put me right.
(P.3, Mornington Standard, 1-6-1899.)
THE MITCHELLS OF RYE, VIC., AUST.
THE MITCHELLS OF RYE.
NEW INSOLVENTS.
George Mitchell, of Tootgarook, county of Mornington, lime-burner. Causes of insolvency--Depression in business, and pressure of creditors. Liabilities, £213 1s. 11 1/2d. ; assets, £44 7s.4 1/2d, ; deficiency, £168 14s, 7d. Mr. Jacomb,
official assignee.(P.7, Argus, 18-1-1861.)
The circumstances attending the death of a little girl, named Jane Mitchell, aged five years, the daughter of a lime-burner living at Rye, Point Nepean, formed the subject of inquiry by Mr Candler, district coroner, on Sunday. From the evidence of the mother of the deceased, it appeared that, last Thursday, she mixed a teaspoonful of strychnine with a handful of sugar, part of which she placed on an ant-hill for the purpose of killing some rats. The remainder she left in a basin ; and it was supposed that the deceased got to it, and took what was left, as, on looking at the basin afterwards, the contents were missing. The deceased was taken with convulsions shortly afterwards, and died within an hour. The medical evidence showed death to have resulted from poisoning by strychnine ; and the jury returned a verdict that the poison was accidentally taken by herself.
(P.5, The Age, 25-9-1866.)
A terribly sudden death took place at the Sorrento court on Wednesday. Mr George Mitchell, the postmaster at Rye, was appearing in a small case, and had just been sworn, when he suddenly fell back, striking the floor heavily with the back of his head. Several persons rushed to his aid, but death must have been instantaneous, for he never moved or spoke again. Mr Mitchell, who was 70 years of age and much respected in the district, was known to be subject to heart disease.
(P. 2, The Yackandandah Times, 13-3-1896.)
Mrs Mitchell, a very old resident, died here on the 21st ult. She was the widow of the late Mr George Mitchell,. who was post-master here
for a number of years.(P.5, Mornington Standard, 9-1-1904.)
GEORGE TRUEMAN'S HOTEL AT RYE, VIC., AUST., IN 1872 SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL RYE HOTEL.
WAS THIS THE TAP ROOM ON TOOTGAROOK STATION (PETER PURVES' TOOTGAROOK HOTEL OF 1857) OR PERHAPS WILLIAM COTTIER'S FORMER TOOTGAROOK HOTEL OF 1867 ON JOHN CAMPBELL'S TOWNSHIP GRANTS?
NOTICE OF APPLICATION for a PUBLICAN'S LICENCE.-To the Licensing Magistrates in and for the District of Dromana.-I, GEORGE TRUEMAN, of the townshlp of Rye near Dromana, in the colony of Victoria, limeburner, do hereby give notice, that I desire to obtain, and will at the next licensing meeting APPLY for, a PUBLICAN'S LICENCE for a house situate at the township of Rye, In the colony of Victoria, and fronting Hobson's Bay, containing seven rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family. The 14th day of February, A.D. 1872. GEORGE TRUEMAN. (P.2s., Argus, 17-2-1872.)
George Trueman was the second child of James Trueman and Jane (nee Cook) born on 2-3-1852 in Maddington,Wiltshire, who came out with his parents on the Sabrina in 1857 and died on 10-10-1932 in Prahran. As his older sister Annie had died in 1850 aged just over a month, George was the oldest surviving child. (Genealogy provided by Heather Spunner of Berrigan,N.S.W.)
As George's "house" was in the township, and he didn't seem to be much involved on the Truemans Rd grants, it would be interesting to compare his description with that of Cottier, who was insolvent in 1870 and had obviously turned to lime burning on his land at Fingal by the time he received his certificate of discharge in 1871.(Certificate Meetings.
Certificates of discharge from their debts were granted to the following insolvents :....... ; John Blair, of Melbourne, surgeon*; ....... William Cottier, of Rye, limeburner ; F. W. Wilks, of Collingwood, commission agent. (P.6, Argus, 10-6-1871.)
NOTICE of APPLICATION for a PUBLICAN'S LICENCE.-To the Bench of Magistrates. at Mornington.-I, WILLIAM COTTIER, farmer, now residing in Rye, in the colony of Victoria, do hereby give notice that it is my intention to APPLY to the justices, sitting at the Court of Petty Sessions to be holden at Mornington, In the said colony, on tho 20th day of June next, for a CERTIFICATE authorising the issuing of a PUBLICAN'S LICENCE for a house situated at Rye aforesaid. The house Is built of wood, consisting of two slttlng rooms and six bedrooms exclusive of those required for the use of the family; occupied and owned by me. It is not licensed. To be known as the Tootgarook Hotel.
The 14th day of June, A.D. 1867,
(Signed) . WILLIAM COTTIER. (P.8 Argus, 21-6-1867.)
Campbell's grants comprised the land occupied in October 2015 by shops including Ray White Real Estate, the former board shop, former bike shop until late August,now vacant, on the east side of the Shark Shack fish and chip shop and shops in between.
It should be fairly easy to ascertain whether George Trueman had been leasing the Tootgarook Hotel from John Campbell. It is possible that George had a lease of the hotel that William Cottier appears to have established in 1867 but this theory would destroyed if John Campbell had been running the hotel in 1872.
NOTICE.— I, JOHN CAMPBELL, of Rye, Contractor, do hereby give notice that I desire to obtain,and will at the next Licensing Meeting APPLY for, a PUBLICAN'S LICENCE for a home situated at Rye,containing 8 rooms exclusive of those required for the use of the family.
The 25th day November, 1875.
JOHN CAMPBELL. (P.1,The Age, 29-11-1875.)
NOTICE of APPLICATION for a PUBLICAN'S LICENCE.— To tho Licensing Magistrates at Dromana.--I, JOHN CAMPBELL, of
Rye, county Mornington, do hereby glvo notice that I desire to obtain, and will, at the next Licensing Meeting, APPLY for a PUBLICAN'S LICENCE for a house situate at Rye, county Mornington, to be known as the RYE Hotel, containing eight rooms, exclusive of those required for tho use of the family.
Tho seventh day of June, A.D., 1873. JOHN CAMPBELL. (P.2, Leader, Melbourne, 14-6-1873.)
N.B. THE ABOVE TWO NOTICES WERE THE ONLY RESULTS ON TROVE FOR "JOHN CAMPBELL, RYE" DURING THE DECADE 1870-1879.My next step was going to be a check to see if George Trueman had in 1872 been leasing another hotel in Rye, such as Patrick Sullivan's GRACEFIELD HOTEL, which I think was said to have been established in 1877. I don't really need to because of the 1873 notice. But I'll do it anyway! "hotel,rye" 1872. This search produced not one result,illustrating one problem with Rye; George Trueman's notice was published in 1872 but did not use the word HOTEL, instead referring to a licence for a house. I substituted "license, house,rye" in 1872,again getting no result but when I deleted the inverted commas, I obtained George's notice and 50 other results,none of the latter referring to Rye, except forthe sale of town lots in 1872. "Hotel, Rye" 1870-1879 showed a flurry of advertisements for Sullivan's, or the Gracefield, six miles from Sorrento from about 1877 and that Rye had only one hotel before this, the second TOOTGAROOK Hotel established by Cottier 1867,lost by him when the partnership with Campbell was dissolved just prior to Cottier's insolvency, leased by George Trueman in 1872, and operated from 1873 by the grantee of the land on which it stood, John Campbell.
C.N.Hollinshed stated in LIME LAND LEISURE that the Cottier family had gained a licence for a "house" in Dromana called the Rye Hotel and that this licence had been transferred to Tootgarook,thus giving the town its present name. This was proven wrong in my journal about William Cottier, whose aim was to confirm Hollinshed's claim. However the author had stated that the FIRST RYE HOTEL IN RYE was east of Lyons St and produced a map of historic sites in Rye showing Campbell's Hotel precisely on Campbell's grants (as indicated by the Rye Township map.) Because of lack of detail in rate records for about the first five decades of municipal government,it cannot be stated without dispute that Cottier's 1867 TOOTGAROOK HOTEL was on Campbell's grants but the following makes it very likely.
NOTICE.-The PARTNERSHIP hitherto subsisting between WILLIAM COTTIER and JOHN CAMPBELL, trading as " Wm. Cottier and Campbell," at Tootgarook, has this day been DISSOLVED by mutual consent.All liabilities will be paid and all moneys received by William Cottier.
JOHN CAMPBELL. WM. COTTIER., Melbourne 18th April, 1870. (P.3, Argus, 14-4-1870.)
Charles Hollinshed was right about the original RYE HOTEL being associated with Cottier (although the given name he used was James). The second Rye Hotel, the present one, was built in art deco style by Mrs Hunt (who demolished the Gracefield Hotel in the late 1920's) as detailed on the foundation stone. But the partnership's name for the 1867 establishment was the Tootgarook Hotel and it would appear to be John Campbell,now the sole owner, who renamed it the Rye Hotel in 1873. It is not known what name George Trueman had given it in 1872.
TOOTGAROOK, BETWEEN ROSEBUD AND RYE ON THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VIC., AUST.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TOOTGAROOK FOR JUSTIN. Justin is not a member of family tree circles but is primarily responsible for my ability to post and is interested in local history, so when he asked for some information about Tootgarook’s past, how could I refuse?
Great confusion has been caused by the name of George Smith's homestead on his run being thought to be a separate run, whose location was never specified. The Tootgarook Run itself, and the area it occupied has also been described by a variety of names.
Edward Hobson was one of the earliest Southern Peninsula pioneers. He was on the Kanjeering (Kangerong) run by 1837 but “Before the close of June 1837, he moved down the bay past Arthurs Seat and took up the country between the present day townships of Dromana and Rye. His run (was) known to Henry Meyrick as Packomedurrawurra..” (P.25, A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.)
By 1844, after some time near the Tarwin River, Edward moved to the location of present day Traralgon to manage the run of his brother, Dr. Edmund Hobson:
An Historical Account of Traralgon
www.traralgonhistory.asn.au/rolf/chapter2.htm
• When Edward Hobson reached here in 1844,
It must have been the Hobsons who gave the Traralgon run its name. The name comes from the aboriginal words "Tarra", meaning a river, and "Algon" meaning little fish, and that is why I have called this story "The River of Little Fish". It was probably Edward Hobson who spelt the name as we spell it today, for the Doctor, who did not come up to see the run for three years, spelt it "Tralgon" when he was writing a letter to his wife in Melbourne while he was here.
George Smith, who supposedly married the mother of Edward and Edmund Hobson, had a run called Wooloowoolooboolook (which had various spellings); when Sarah Ann Cain went missing and was eventually found; she was taken to George’s homestead where Mrs Smith nursed her back to health.
1844.
" October 26.—News from Arthur's Seat of the discovery and safety of Sarah Ann Cain, the child of the lime-burner. She was only four years old, and had been lost for four days and five nights in the bush. Some of the nights were very severe, with heavy rain. She had heard the men cooeying, but did not answer, fearing they were blacks. When found, she was warding the attacks of the crows on her face with her hands, and was all but exhausted. A warm bath and the administration of food in small quantities brought her completely round ; and she afterwards grew up a fine young woman. (Georgiana McCrae’s Journal.)
Smith’s run probably adjoined Hobson’s run and was known to include the foreshore land near the McCrae lighthouse. It might have been Hobson’s run! It is likely that Smith managed Hobson’s run when the latter departed for Gippsland. In 1850, according to C.N.Hollinshed in LIME LAND LEISURE, Edward Hobson bought Smith’s lease and requested that both be transferred to James Purves. Purves obviously had a business relationship with Edward and by 1855 bought “The Rosebud” from him and insured it for 700 pounds before it was stranded at you know where.James Purves, an architect and businessman, retained the run and bought the Pre-emptive Right.
But he was not really a pioneer of Tootgarook! It was his brother, Peter, who applied for a licence for the Tootgarook Inn in 1857, the tap room in Leonard St, Rye that the shire recently allowed to be demolished. It was Peter Purves who in 1859, with James Ford, persuaded practically all their neighbours to oppose a proposed fence from White Cliff to the back beach. Peter, who probably gave the run its new name of Tootgarook, died in 1860 and his son, James, took over the management of Tootgarook Station. The homestead was named Broomielaw and the greatest indication that his uncle, who owned the station, spent little time there was the 1877 report of a sale that stated, “At Tootgarook, which, at this late date in the history of Victoria, is not famous for a very imposing homestead-or indeed in any building that does not require demolishing and rebuilding –“
Because of the run, the area became known as Tootgarook and though the village to the west was called Rye, the first school, on the site of Rye’s present Anglican Church and the post office were officially described as Tootgarook. In 1867 when former Dromana resident William Cottier applied for a licence for a “house” built on the grants of his partner and fellow ex-Dromana resident, John Campbell, who built the first stage of the Rye Pier in that year, he called it the TOOTGAROOK Hotel* (not the Rye Hotel as claimed in LIME LAND LEISURE.) It was in Cottier’s hotel that doomed Rosebud fisherman, Patrick Tolmut Wee Wee, a Maori, met the four doomed quarrymen and arranged to take them to the Quarantine Station.
(*There have been two Tootgarook Hotels and two Rye Hotels.The first licence for a Tootgarook Hotel was by Peter Purves in 1857; this hotel was almost certainly the tap room on the Tootgarook pre-emptive right. In 1867, William Cottier applied for a licence for the Tootgarook Hotel which was almost certainly on the grants of his partner, John Campbell, between today's Ray White Real Estate and the shop on the east side of Shark Shack fish and chips (inclusive of both.) In 1870, Cottier became insolvent and the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent, the hotel's ownership probably passing to Campbell who applied for a licence in 1873, now calling it the Rye Hotel. George Trueman probably ran it in 1872 but did not specify a name for the hotel. The second Rye Hotel was on part of its present location. Its forerunner was built in about 1877 by Patrick Sullivan on land granted to William Grace and named the Gracefield Hotel. In about 1927,Mrs Hunt demolished the Gracefield and built the art deco core of the present Rye Hotel. Remarkably William Cottier, John Campbell and William Grace were all former Dromana pioneers. For more details about the hotels and the Trueman family, see my journals:
GEORGE TRUEMAN'S HOTEL AT RYE, VIC., AUST., IN 1872 SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL RYE HOTEL.
by itellya on 2015-10-04 03:29:39. page views: 108, comments: 4
THE TRUEMANS OF TOOTGAROOK, VIC., AUST.
by itellya on 2015-10-04 20:16:38. page views: 63, comments: 0)
MORE ABOUT GEORGE SMITH.
I stated before that George Smith may have been on Tootgarook.On page 4 of The Argus of 21-5-1850,a government notice lists occupants and other details of runs for which the occupants were to submit applications for 12 month leases from 1-1-1851. In the County of Mornington,No. 17 of 19 was George Smith (occupant), 20 square miles (extent), Tootgarook (name of run), Port Phillip Bay.
"Contrary to what is widely asserted, he did not hold a licence for Wul-Wul-a-Bulluk on the Mornington Peninsula: a thorough search of the original Pastoral Run Papers produced no papers for Wul-Wul-a-Bulluk in the box which holds all the original ‘W’ Pastoral Run Papers.50 Wul-Wul-a-Bulluk is not a pastoral run; it is the name of the house at Capel Sound where he lived in the 1840s.51"
(I SUCCEEDED ONCE.)
I also mentioned that George was supposedly married to the mother of Edward and Edmund Hobson. A Tootgarook 1850's search on trove brought up Marie Hansen Fels' explanation of the relationship, as well as some new information about Tootgarook, in I SUCCEEDED ONCE.
"The simple, though for the time, extraordinary explanation* is that George Smith lived with Malvina Hobson nee Lutterell, mother of Edward and Edmund at Capel Sound. George Gordon McCrae devotes pages to describing their lovely house and garden and view, and Mrs Smith’s culinary achievements and her kindness to the McCrae boys. But there is no record of a divorce from Edward Hobson senior and she died as Malvina Hobson, as indicated earlier.
(* of the lack of detail re George Smith's family.)
The biographer of the Lutterell family57 tells an amazing story of Malvina’s life. Baptised in Tonbridge Kent in 1799, one of ten children in the family, she was brought to New South Wales by her father Dr Edward Luttrell who received a land grant and an appointment as assistant colonial surgeon at Parramatta. She was married as a child-bride to Edward Hobson senior in 1813, and produced her two sons Edmund and Edward quite quickly. They are alleged to have been born in Parramatta, but New South Wales has no record of this and their baptisms are recorded in VDL, and Edmund at least was raised by his grandparents in Hobart. Edward Hobson senior is last picked up in the records running a school in Clarence Plains, VDL.
By 1823 Malvina was living openly with a convicted man named Bartholomew Broughton: Broughton’s offence is unspecified but he was a gentleman, formerly a lieutenant in the Royal Navy. Malvina’s parents must have approved of Broughton because when he died, he was buried with Dr Lutterell in the Lutterell family vault. But Dr Lutterell definitely did not approve of Malvina – in his will, in which he left his estate to his sons and to his dearly beloved grandson Edmund, he noted that Edmund was a poor unfortunate orphan whose parents did not love him and who left him without any provision or patrimony.
Malvina Lutterell/Hobson/Broughton/Smith was a practical woman it seems. In 1844, when Sarah Anne Cain, a lime burner’s four year old daughter was found, exhausted, keeping crows off her face with her hand, having been missing for four days and five nights, it was Mrs Smith who had the knowledge and the presence of mind to put the child in a warm bath, then feed her a teaspoon of food at a time until the little girl recovered.58 She was generous as well. In the winter of 1845 Georgiana McCrae sent one of the men working for the McCraes to Mrs Smith to borrow some beef because the McCraes had run out, and the contract with their workers Henry Tuck and Lanty Cheney specified a ration of ten lbs of beef per week; Mrs Smith sent back not only the requested beef but a ham and greens as well.59
The Smiths were living at Capel Sound in July 1846 when George Smith’s blackfellows called in en route from Melbourne with the bag which Georgiana McCrae’s servant raided for onions, but which contained daffodil bulbs.60 The McCrae’s tutor Mr John McLure was a visitor to George Smith’s station along the beach in 1848, as was Mr Liardet.61 However they managed it, Mrs Smith was acknowledged in polite society, and George Smith remained connected to her sons and grandsons, though not to her. She was buried in Brighton after her death in 1866 with a neighbour as informant, ignorant of her living son’s name and whereabouts, aware only that she had a son who was a doctor.62 There is a letter in the Hobson Papers from George Smith by this time, 1867, resident in Sydney, addressed to Dr Hobson’s son, dealing with the issue of 125 acres of land in Sydney granted to Malvina Luttrell the mother of Edward and Edmund Hobson.63
It was George Smith and Edward Hobson who established the fame of the cups country for horse breeding, not James Purves who purchased the run as a going concern with an already established reputation. George Gordon McCrae mentions Smith’s horses well before Purves came to the district, ‘It was always a pleasant tramp for us from Arthur’s Seat [to Boniong] through Hobson’s flat with its little knots of horses and browsing cows’.64
GRANTEES.
James Purves purchased the 640 acre (square mile) Tootgarook Pre-emptive right on 22-10-1855. There was no real need for him to buy it so early because as long as he paid the yearly rent to the crown, nobody else could buy it. It was bounded by the beach road,Government Rd/Weeroona St,Brights Drive (roughly) and the Kevin St/Morris St midline.
The parish of Wanneue is divided into Section A and section B, the former consisting of the former Tootgarook Run and the latter of the Arthurs Seat Run. As the land west of Elizabeth Avenue to Truemans Rd was later referred to as Tootgarook later, I will include it in our discussion.Lime merchant, William Allison Blair, bought c/a 53 of 60 acres between the beach road and the westernmost 694 metres of Eastbourne Rd and another 75 metres east of Ned Williams' Chinamans Creek channel.He also bought crown allotments 51, 49 and 45,a total of 419 acres fronting the east side of Truemans Rd from the beach road to Hiscock Rd.
This was bought by the Woinarski family which built the heritage listed "Woyna" at 9-11 Terry St and was eventually subdivided as the Woyna Estate,hence Woyna Ave. For details see my journal on family tree circles entitled:
WOYNA AVENUE (ROSEBUD WEST, VIC., AUST.), A NOBLE NAME ...
www.familytreecircles.com/woyna-avenue-rosebud-west-vic-aus…...
On the west side of Truemans Rd, three of our pioneers bought land from the beach road to the freeway reservation. On 16-8-1865, Sam Stenniken bought c/a 48 of 108 acres extending 833 metres to the Kevin /Morris midline (and the Tootgarook P.R.) and nearly 744 metres south to he Bona/Ronald St midline.) Sam Stenniken married the older sister of Sam Sherlock, who did a horseback mail run between Rye and Cheltenham and worked for Barker near Cape Schanck before becoming a pioneer at Green Island between Mornington and Mt Martha.The Stennikens had a daughter named Maria who married Godfrey Burdett Wilson. Burdett St recalls Godfrey and the maiden name of his mother, Thamer (nee Burdett.)
James Trueman bought 112 acres between Ronald St and Guest St (both inclusive) on 5-7-1877.
HE CALLED HIS FARM "WENSAW".
COOK-TRUEMAN.— On the 1st October, at the Church of England, Rye. by the Rev. C. Chase, Henry John Cook,of Granville station, New South Wales, eldest son of the late Mr. George Cook, of Union-street, Brunswick, to
Ellen, second daughter of Mr. James Trueman, farmer,Wensaw, Rye, Victoria.(P.44, Leader, 26-10-1889.)
I CAN SAVE MYSELF A BIT OF TYPING HERE. PARDON A LITTLE REPETITION. (Copied from my info on wikipedia!)
In 1857, James Trueman and his wife, Jane (nee Cook) sailed to Melbourne on the "Sabrina" and probably went immediately to Purves' station. The birth of his daughter, Sarah, was registered at Pt Nepean in 1857 and that of Emma was registered at Tootgarook in 1858; a registrar had probably been appointed in between the births, most likely the teacher at the Church of England school in what would become Rye. James is said to have built and operated a tap room on the Purves' property. (Peter Purves applied for a licence in 1857.)
Tootgarook basically consists of the Tootgarook Station and four blocks between it and Truemans Rd. The Stennikens received the grant of 108 acres which extended south from the beach road almost to Ronald St. It was auctioned on 4-2-1920. Burdett St recalls Godfrey Burdett Wilson, a son in law of Ben Stenniken. Probably one of the first buildings on the subdivision was Birkdale House, which still stands on the east corner of Carmichael St.
James Trueman was granted 112 acres which was later two 56 acre farms owned by his sons, Thomas and William. Thomas had the part west of Darvall St, which was bought by Raymond Guest in 1948. Ray was a hairdresser who looked after the grooming of T.V. stars such as Graeme Kennedy's barrel girl, Panda.Guest St and Alma St were named after himself and his wife and the other east-west streets (except Ronald St) were named after his brother, Russell, and his sons. The subdivision was called the ALMARAY ESTATE. The portion fronting Truemans Rd was bought by poultry farmer, Harry Doig, in 1939 after Fred Trueman and his first wife had left the farm. Ronald Doig was one of the foundation pupils at Tootgarook State school when it opened in 1950.Harry Doig had become a friend of Wilfred Rowley in the Mallee and when he came to Birkdale to visit him, he met Dot Rowley, whom he later married. As the ALMARAY ESTATE was subdivided before Harry's land, the street names applied there were given to the continuations west and east into Bright and Doig land. Harry's land was subdivided as the OCEANAIRES ESTATE in the mid 1950's. Ronald St and Doig Ave are named after family members but Harry Doig was responsible for another name.
From just south of Guest St to the northern boundary of the Truemans Rd tip (or the proposed freeway)two allotments totalling 117 acres were granted to Robert Rowley, one of the peninsula's first permanent pioneers.Robert's wife Christine (Edwards) was from Longford in Tasmania. Their farmhouse was at the end of Carboor St.
Tootgarook was at first the official name for Rye as well as the Purves' station. After the Purves sold out, the area was variously described as Rosebud, Rye, and Birkdale (the most prominent feature being Birkdale House.) Harry Doig agitated successfully for the old name of Tootgarook to be used once again. (Whittaker's busline had advertised Dromana, Rosebud, Birkdale and Rye as drop off and pick up places for their tourist runs from Melbourne.)(Sources:Memoirs of a Larrikin,Rye:A Book of Memories, Ron Doig, Ray Guest and subdivision plans, Heather Spunner (Trueman genealogy), Parish maps, rate records, The Argus)
The Tootgarook station was sold in about 1920 and most of it became Rye Park of 519 acres, leased by Ern Jennings as a dairy farm until 1939. Between there and Morris St lived the Bright family. Frank Bright was the first captain of the Tootgarook Rural Fire Brigade. The Bright house was James Trueman's old tap room.Brights Drive is named after the family.
Like Rosebud West and Rye, Tootgarook had abundant limestone: the Stennikens supplied the stone for the original C of E school in Rye and James Trueman supplied additional limestone when this was demolished and the present front section of the church was built. (Sources: Lime Land Leisure, Rye: A Book of Memories.)
Today
In the same suburb, but extending to neighbouring suburbs, is the Tootgarook Wetland. This wetland is about 300 hectares in size and supports many rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. Most of the wetland is in private ownership and some is vulnerable to development.
The local school in the area is http://www.tootps.vic.edu.au/ Tootgarook Primary School, which currently has 203 students.
(Suburb Description for Tootgarook - Apartments Australia ...
www.apartmentsaustralia.com.au/suburb/…/3941/tootgarook/more)
EXPLOITING THE SWAMP.
I had the same opinion of swamps as the pioneers, that they were a nuisance causing detours for travellers and a waste of valuable land. Buckley St in West Essendon used to be called Braybrook Rd because it led to the closest early crossing of the Saltwater River to Melbourne, Solomon's Ford,the aboriginal fish trap which had stopped Grimes' progress upriver by boat in 1803. The West Melbourne swamp prevented travel towards today's Footscray and Dynon Rd was originally called Swamp Rd.
Paul Dillon's children's book about frogs forced to flee the Balnarring swamp*, Cameron Brown's efforts to save the Tootgarook swamp, and the following, certainly changed my mind.
(*The Author — The Symphony by Paul Dillon
www.thesymphonybook.com/author/)
Wetlands, swamps 'hold great potential' to store carbon, fight ...
www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-16/australian...swamps.../6107624
Feb 15, 2015 - "Wetlands can store approximately 50 times as much carbon as quite high carbon sequestration ecosystems such as tropical rainforests.
DANGER???
The suspension of the standing orders was moved by Cr Clark in order to hear the views of a deputation from landowners, Boneo, re the danger of swamp. Ex-Cr Cain, Messrs Jensen;-Woinarski and Crichton spoke in support of request for assistance in forming one road and the widening of three besides -Cr Rudduck supported the request, and stated that they should certainly help the progressive spirit., Here they had landowners who were prepared to put their hands into their pockets to improve their holdings, which would be beneficial to the. council. (P.2, Mornington Standard, 3-2-1912.)
N.B. John Cain's land was east of the swamp, his historic limestone house still standing just south of Bunnings, Woinarski was on Woyna between Elizabeth Ave and Truemans Rd south to Hiscock Rd and Alex Crichton was for many decades on John Lovie's grants south of Eastbourne and Woyna,Hiscock Rd being his northern boundary except for the southern 30 acres of the original Eastbourne that he farmed.
POWER??????
The lime deposits were not a startling discovery, most early pioneers from Boneo Rd to Portsea being engaged in the lime burning industry. It is interesting that the swamp area had been home to grass trees which remain in the Betty Clift Conservation Reserve (Melway 170 E6) in some numbers.
VICTORIAN SWAMP DEPOSIT.
VALUABLE COMMERCIAL, PRODUCT.
On a health trip to Europe, Mr .W.Cochrane Robertson, the supervising analyst of the Victorian Department of
Agriculture passed through Fremantle yesterday on the mail steamer Osterley. Combining business with pleasure, Mr.Robertson is taking to England for analysis a number of deposits amongst which is a unique organic substance from the Boneo swamp on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, which, it is claimed, will be of great commercial value. The treatment of a parcel of 50 tons, which is being conveyed to England by the s.s.Boorara, will be supervised by Mr.Robertson.
Discussing the potentialities of the deposit with a "West Australian" representative, Mr. Robertson explained that it was composed of a species of sedge grass or Zanthaema--a grass tree. The deposit was about five feet in depth and covered an area of 800 acres. Preliminary tests, which he had conducted in the destructive distillation of the substance, had resulted in an excellent return of sulphate of ammonia, light solvent oils and methyl alcohol, all of which are essentials in commerce particularly for the generation of power in its many forms. 'My particular mission," said Mr. Robertson, "is to determine the most suitable retort in which to conduct the distillations. To assist me, the department has arranged for the parcel of the deposit to be treated in several different ways and the results will guide me in my choice. If the success is as great as I anticipate these apparently useless swamp lands will become a valuable asset and will revolutionise the
vicinity in which they are situated." Mr.Robertson added that apart from the byproducts it would be made possible to provide power at an extremely small cost, and as there would be a large surplus
for disposal, considerable encouragement would be given to the establishment of industries. The deposit was superimposed upon a stratum of whiting which was eminently suited to the production of high-grade cement and the surrounding country was largely made up of lime deposits.
"'You will think I am expecting too much from 800 acres of swamp land," Mr.Robertson concluded, with a smile. "but if Western Australia could find a similar deposit-and there is no reason why there should not be one tucked away in this great State of yours--your agriculturists and scientists would find it equally beneficial to exploit as we shall." (etc.)(P.8, The West Australian, 24-3-1921.)
FERTILISER,THE TRAMLINE AND THE CICADA.
EXHIBIT OF VICTORIA'S NATURAL FERTILISING DEPOSIT. "CICADA." BY TOOTGAKOOK ESTATE PTY. LTD.
(P.38,The Australasian,2-10-1920. PHOTO.)
WILL THE (RED HILL)LINE PAY?
It is said that there is a large deposit of material useful as a fertiliser in the Boneo swamps. If this deposit is valuable and extensive, the goods traffic on the railway will eventually be great enough, perhaps, to pay for operation. Baldry's is five miles from Red Hill, and Boneo is five miles farther on. No request has been, or is likely to be made by the Railway Department for the extension of the railway, but interests are at work which may compel attention. (P.3, Frankston and Somerville Standard, 9-12-1921.)
KETCH ASHORE
The Cicada, a wooden auxiliary ketch of 35 tons, belonging to tho Tootgarook Estate proprietary, Limited, and which trades in Port Phillip, was blown ashore at Dromana, Victoria, by a strong wind. A heavy sea was running, and by means of a line, which was made fast ashore,the crew of three landed safely. The vessel was laden with timber. (P.4,The Newcastle Sun, 11-8-1922.)
The Cicada had obviously been purchased to transport the fertiliser to Little Dock in Melbourne but between these trips,perhaps some of the 2 ft 6 inch lengths of ti tree provided by Ben Stenniken and James Sullivan were carried from Rye to Melbourne for the bakers' ovens. However the voyage above proved to be a disaster and may have been the reason there had been the difficulties associated with transport mentioned on 28-10-1922.
THIS DAY. At Twelve O'clock Noon. At the Rooms, 15 Queen Street Under Instructions from the Tootgarook Estates
Pty. Ltd., as Owner.
SALE by PUBLIC AUCTION of the AUXILIARY KETCH CICADA, As She Now Lies at the Entrance to Dromana, Together with all her Gear, including Gardiner Motor Engine (4-cylinder, Oin. stroke, 30-li.p.)and Winch Engine.
The vessel was built in 1877 at Huon, Tasmania, and measures 67 3-10th feet, breadth 18ft., depth in hold from tonnage deck to ceiling, 5ft. and two-tenths; gross tonnage, 35 and eight-tenths. She was refitted in December, 1920, and all her sails, &c., are practically new. CHARLES FORRESTER and Co. (P.2,Argus, 12-9-1922.)
Mornington Peat Deposits.
Fertiliser Plant to be Installed.
LONDON, Oct. 27.
Mr Walter Hiscock, of Melbourne, in conjunction with Mr E Lloyd Pease, of Stockton-on -Tees chemical works, has arranged to establish a plant at Mornington Peninsula for the production of a new fertiliser from Mornington's unique peat deposits.
The site selected by Mr Hiscock lies between Rosebud and Rye, in what is known as Boneo Swamp, on the Mornington Peninsula. In the district there is an immense deposit of valuable peat composed of decayed vegetable matter, guano and sea shells, which tests have shown to be of a great value, after a process of destructive distillation as a fertiliser The deposit is from 1ft to 8ft in depth, and extends towards Cape Schanck. In places it is exposed on the surface. Up to the present the output has been limited owing to the
difficulty of handling and transport. It is expected that within 12 months the works will be established.
(P.29, Argus,28-10-1922.)
Transport to the site of the "works" (now occupied by the motel on the east corner of Truemans Rd) was provided by a tramline that ran up the east side of Truemans Rd. The tramline is shown on an early map posted on the HISTORY OF DROMANA TO PORTSEA Facebook group page by Ron Doig.
DRAINING THE SWAMP.
RECLAMATION OF LARGE SWAMP.
Proposal to Minister
With the object of making available for settlement the area of 1,200 acres covered by the Tootgarook swamp, a mile and a half from Rosebud, a deputation from the Flinders Shire Council yesterday requested the Minister for Public Works (Mr.Goudie) to provide £750 from unemployment relief funds for the regrading of the Boneo drain. The council, it was stated,was willing to contribute £250, and it was claimed that the soil, if properly
drained and sweetened for a few years, would be equal to the best in Victoria.Mr. Goudie said that if the residents were willing to form a drainage trust to ensure the proper maintenance of the drain he would inquire into the practicability of effectively draining the swamp. (P.10, Argus,22-7-1937.)
WOYNA AT TOOTGAROOK?
Rosebud West did not have its own name and an early foreshore committee actually decided to call the area Eastbourne after Crispo's property which comprised the Village Glen and land westwards to the line of Elizabeth Avenue. The swamp extended into the southern portion of Eastbourne,being fed by the Drum Drum Alloc Creek alongside which an imaginary government road ran from the junction of (Old) Cape Schanck and Jetty Rds to Truemans Rd through an area described as Boneo. It's easy for a surveyor to draw a road on a parish map but much harder (and expensive) to make a road THROUGH A SWAMP.
As you will see below,the swamp was referred to as the Boneo Swamp but it is now known as the Tootgarook swamp which is not in reference to the suburb (west of Truemans Rd)but the TOOTGAROOK RUN which extended east near the foreshore to the rocks (Anthonys Nose) until George Smith generously transferred the easternmost portion near the lighthouse) to Andrew McCrae's Arthurs Seat Run so the latter could have beach access. (I SUCCEEDED ONCE, Marie Hansen Fels.) Despite not being in the suburb of Tootgarook, the swamp's present name is correct because it was part of the TOOTGAROOK RUN. The same applies to the Truemans Rd Reserve and an early description of the location of Woyna.
The swamp area was usually under water in winter but probably provided good grazing later in the year as the water trickled out through Chinamans Creek. But the "vibe*" of Woyna had changed, a fertiliser plant at the north west corner and quarrying at the south west,linked by a noisy tram, meant no more "tranquility*" and reduced grazing for the cows. No wonder the dairy plant was being sold.(*Couldn't help using iconic words from THE CASTLE.)
Extensive Sale
of
DAIRY CATTLE AND PLANT ROSEBUD ROSEBUD WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1925 ALEX. SCOTT & Co. Pty, Ltd. have received instructions from the WOYNA DAIRY Co., "Tootgarook" Estate, 1 1/2 miles from Rosebud, 5 from Dromana, and 15 from Mornington, to sell by Public Auction, without reserve, on the Property, at 12 o'clock sharp on the above date
20 MILKERS 40 SPRINGERS 25 HEIFERS, 2 to 3 years. Jersey Bull, 2 years; Ayrshire Bull, 4 years; 3 Dt. Mares splendid workers; 5 Milk Cart Horses, good sorts; 31 h.p. Bartram Engine; 2 De Laval Separators (I steam); 4 Churns; 2 Coolers; 10 Milk Cans; etc. (P.2, Frankston and Somerville Standard, 31-7-1925.)
STENNIKENS' GRANT AND THE GOVERNMENT ROAD BETWEEN ROSEBUD AND RYE.
When tenders for road work were advertised the location was usually given as so many chains between A's and B's (names of property owners. Few roads bore official names, hence the description of Truemans Rd as in the title. This could easily be interpreted as the road from Rosebud to Rye! Ben Stenniken had died and his land at Rye was being offered for sale along with the north eastern 108 acres of today's Tootgarook which was described as being at ROSEBUD.
ROSEBUD.
LOT 3, on main road to Sorrento, corner of Government-road between Rosebud and Rye, Crown allotment 48, parish of Wannaeue, containing 103 acres 1 rood 23 perches, adjoining part of "Tootgarook Estate," and J. Trueman's property, a suitable block for subdivision into seaside allotments,having over half mile frontage to main road, with only the narrow Government reserve dividing it from the beach. (P.2, The Age, 24-1-1920.)
The Stenniken family had been associated with the Williamstown area* for some time and it is possible that they had named their grant,as described above, after a barque** operating since the 1880's and damaged by fire at Williamstown's Railway pier in 1923.
* Hobson's Bay Yacht Club. THE ANNUAL MEETING.
Williamstown Chronicle (Vic. : 1856 - 1954) Saturday 5 October 1907 p 3 Article
... . J. Drunmmond's Fidana, B. Stenniken's S.J.S. and A. Knight's Britannia being most successful.
** FIRE ON BARQUE BIRKDALE.
The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Monday 19 March 1923 p 15 Article
When I discovered that Whitakers had christened the area on the west side of Truemans Rd as Birkdale*, I assumed that this was because of Birkdale House on the east corner of Carmichael St,but perhaps the guest house was so- named because it was AT Birkdale! But an early advertisement does specify BIRKDALE HOUSE** as a stop rather than just BIRKDALE.
* DROMANA Rosebud Birkdale House Rye -Whitakers leave Whight's 116 Flinders st twice dally X4650
(P.30, Argus, 4-12-1937.)
** LEIGH. --- On the 4th March, at his daughter's residence, 13 Baxter street, Coburg, William Henry, beloved husband of Sarah Ann Leigh, loved father of Frank, Percy (Karkoak,N.Z.), Elsie (Mrs. Sinclair), Myrtle (Mrs.
Wiles), late Victorian Railways and Birkdale House, Rye. (No flowers. by request.) (P.8,Argus,6-3-1940.)
ROSEBUD: Birkdale House.Nepean Highway, cafe and apartments, 8 rooms, V.r., land 62 x160, walk-in. walk-out, passed In , £3,900, res. £5.200. (Eric Weber and Co. Pty. Ltd.) (P.11, Argus,11-10-1954.)
Obviously nobody else, apart from Whitakers,described today's Tootgarook as Birkdale and above it was called Rosebud and then Rye. Weber and Co. were obviously not locals and hadn't caught on that Birkdale House was now in TOOTGAROOK.
Mr. C. Gibbons
Mr. Claude Gibbons, who died at the week end, was a well-known land and estate agent at Tootgarook, near Rosebud. He was active in many moves for the advancement of Tootgarook, which is a new area between Rosebud
and Rye. Mr. Gibbons was a past president of Tootgarook Progress Association. (P.2, The Age, 12-10-1949.)
It is hard to be sure when the land on the west side of Truemans Rd was first called Tootgarook. No report of a Tootgarook Progress Association meeting mentions requests for the name to be adopted or even those in attendance (but I'll bet that Harry Doig was involved.) The name was mentioned in 1944 re a toilet block on the foreshore but since W.G.Hiscock who was the manager of the Tootgarook estate (with a house near the Broadway if I remember correctly)was reported in stock sales as being of Tootgarook,Rosebud,it is unclear whether the toilet block was to be east or west of Truemans Rd.
Claude Gibbons (as above) and Raymond Guest were in no doubt in 1948 about where the western half of James Trueman's grants was.
SATURDAY, NOV. 30. At 3.30 pm. On the Property,ALMARAY ESTATE, TOOTGAROOK.(Between Rosebud and Rye.)
GLORIOUS BEACH ALLOTMENTS each 64 Ft x 193 Ft, 4 Minutes from shops and Beach.
CLAUDE GIBBONS, Auctioneer. Rosebud, Tootgarook and Rye. Phone p u2914 and Ryt» 4.(P.5, The Age, 18-11-1948.)
I seem to remember that Claude Gibbons' office at Tootgarook was right near bus stop 25. Had he bought Birkdale House?
AUCTION, WEDNESDAY. 16th. at 1 o'clock sharp, on the property BIRKDALE HOUSE, Nepean Highway,- TOOTGAROOK (Between Rosebud and Rye. Right at Bus Stop 25).
CLAUDE GIBBONS, R.E.S.I. Auctioneer and Land Agent. Nepean Highway; TOOTGAROOK. Phone Rye 4.
(P.8, The Age,16-3-1949.)
FRANK BRIGHT FIRST CAPTAIN OF TOOTGAROOK RURAL FIRE BRIGADE.
You'll have to take my word on this. The brigade was not mentioned on trove. I believe the source was Nell Arnold's history.
JOHN M'LIVER.
John was a pioneer of the Tootgarook area that I'm sure nobody knew about. The only thing I knew about him was that he was not Lord (or Baron) Clyde's brother but that in 1869,it was assumed by the press that he would inherit the prize money won by Colin Campbell,who was born Colin M'Liver. The surname was actually McLiver but often appeared in newspapers with the apostrophe. He must have been related in some way to Baron Clyde whose father's name was John McLiver. The following is my attempt to provide details about John before and after the widespread publicity in 1869 but I can't guarantee that all references are to the same person.
DAVID HOWELL and Thomas B. Young will hear of imports I have by sending their address to John M'Liver, Williamstown Post Office.(P.1, Argus, 5-10-1853.)
NOTICE TO CARRIERS.
TO THE EDITOR OP THE ARGUS.
Sir,- Allow us to draw your attention to proceedings that took place at the Police Court,Swanston-street, this afternoon. We attended there to obtain a form of application for a carrier's licence, when a police officer
informed us there were no printed forms to be had. We were leaving, when a carrier, Edward Rowland, of Preston, came out to get change to pay for a form the police officer had written out for him at a charge of 2s. 6d. We told Edward Rowland the charge was only 1s. He stated to the officer the charge was only 1s, when the
officer said; "You may go and get one where you can." We then applied at tho office on tho left hand side of the entrance, and there obtained the printed forms at 1s. each.
We are, Sir, your humble servants, JNO. MARRIOTT,JOHN M'LIVER. 251 Elizabeth-street, Melbourne.
(P.6, Argus, 23-5-1859.)
FOR SALE, a young HORSE, three years old, from Van Dieman's Land. John M'Liver, Armstrong's Stables.
(P.8, Argus, 20-6-1859.)
FOUR-ROOMED verandah COTTAGE, newly built, quarter-acre garden, to LET, at Benevolent Asylum, foot Spencer-Street, rent low. John M'Liver,251 Elizabeth-street.(P.1, Argus, 24-9-1859.)
Contract Accepted. — Extras on John M'Liver's contract, No. 817 of 1860, for fencing batteries at Sandridge, £20, John M'Liver. (P.5,The Age, 7-11-1860.)
CONTRACTS ACCEPTED.
...; Sydney and Heathcote roads, erection of mile-posts,£24, John M'Liver; Melbourne district, erection
of mile-posts, £43 15s., John M'Liver ; (P.5,Argus,26-1-1861.)
ANOTHER CONTRACT.
erection of mile-posts, £52 8s, John M'Liver. Melbourne to Ballaarat :(P.7,The Age, 1-1-1862.)
LAND SELECTION AT MELTON.
Mr John M'Liver entered a protest against the selection , Ellen Cecil of lots 4 of sec. 2, and 1 2 of sec. 8, she being under age. (P.25,Leader, 6-4-1867.)
M'LIVER-MAHONY.-On thE 4th ult., at St. Francis',John M'Liver, Kingston, Canada West, to Mary Mahony, Killcommon, Tipperary, Ireland. (P.4,Argus, 3-3-1868.)
The Herald of Saturday states:—"At the present moment a tiller of the soil is about to proceed to Europe to enforce his claim as next of kin to the late Lord Clyde, better known as Sir Colin Campbell. M'Liver, the free selector on Boneo, in the district of Tootgarook, who for some time has been, content to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, bursts suddenly upon us as the heir-presumptive to the son of Mr John M'Liver, of Glasgow, and; who entered the army as Ensign Campbell in 1808, and who in 1858 was created a peer by the title of Lord Clyde. From what we hear it seems probable that the Australian M'Liver, who until now has been satisfied with the benefits conferred upon him under the 42nd clause of the Land Act, will be able to substantiate his claim to the accumulated prize-money of the hero of Chillianwallah; Alma, and Lucknow.
(P.2s, The Ballarat Star, 30-8-1869.)
Richard Dwyer, a somewhat elderly man, was charged with having stolen a £l note from the dwellinghouse of John
M'Liver, residing near Dromana. He had taken the money during the absence of the prosecutor from his house, and concealed it in his necktie, where it was found upon his being arrested. The note was fully identified by the prosecutor. The prisoner was convicted and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. (P.4, Argus, 2-3-1870.)
CORESPONDENCE.
Letters received-; From Mr..E. M. T. O'Halloran, solicitor,Queen-street, Melbourne forwarding a second application on behalf of Mr. John M'Liver for payment of £283 3s 6d., balance due for work and labour, and intimating that unless the amount with costs was paid within one week proceedings would be instituted against the council.-Cr. Johnston explained that M'Liver had entered into a contract to complete certain work for a
certain sum; the work had not been completed to the satisfaction of the borough inspector, and fresh tenders haIl been invited at his (M'Liver's) risk. He moved that the balance of the contract, less the amount paid to the Second contractor, be paid to Mr. M'Liver. (ST KILDA COUNCIL.The Telegraph, St Kilda, Prahran and South Yarra Guardian (Vic. : 1866 - 1888) Saturday 23 December 1871 p 3 Article)
NEW INSOLVENTS.
John M'Liver, farmer, of Villiers-street, Hotham. Causes of insolvency : High rent and bad crops. Liabilities, £92 5s.; assets, £51 ; deficiency, £41 5s.(P.3,The Age,22-9-1875.)
AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION.
Tbe following forfeited lands will be open
for selection on and after Friday, Nov. 19 Wanraue-John McLiver, 140 acres.
INSOLVENCY COURT.
Friday, 6th October.(Before Judge Noel.) Certificates (of discharge from insolvency)were granted to ...; John M'Liver,Hotham, farmer;etc. (P.6, The Age, 7-10-1876.)
BOARDS FOR HEARING REASONS AGAINST FORFEITURE OF LICENCES.
Benalla, 9th December.— .. Shepparton. llth December.— John M'Liver, 192a.,Arcadia.(P.9, Leader,6-12-1884.)
At the Hawthorn Court on Tuesday, before Messrs. Walsh (chairman), Wallis(mayor),Harbison, Nichol, and Stackpole, a man named John M'Liver was charged with assaulting Ann M'Ewen and trespassing on her premises. He was also sued for £12 rent. According to the complainant's story, the defendant, who resided formerly at Malvern, came to her house at Glen Iris, and asked permission to place cattle in her paddock for a fortnight, promising to pay £12. He made proposals to lease her farm, but on referring to her landlord's agents she was refused permission to sub-let. Defendant had meanwhile taken up his abode with her. When requested to leave he not only refused to do so, but broke into the house, assaulted thecomplainant, and turned her furniture out.
In cross-examination by Mr. Gillott for the defence, Mrs. M'Ewen swore that she did not put her mark to a document produced, which proported to be a receipt for a payment by M'Liver on account of improvements purchased from her, and which it was represented would alter the aspect of the case.The point-blank denial of the complainant resulted in the case being adjourned, in order to allow of a witness being brought who, it
was alleged, saw her make her mark upon it. (P.10,Argus,1-4-1885.)
IMPOUNDED at Williamstown, June 10th, 1886, by John M'Liver. Trespass, ld. each.N.B.John was not the poundkeeper. (P.3, Williamstown Chronicle,19-6-1886.)
www.traralgonhistory.asn.au
TRARALGONHISTORY.ASN.AU
WILLIAM WESTGARTH'S OPINION OF JOHN PASCOE FAWKNER
JOHN PASCOE FAWKNER, FATHER OF MELBOURNE.
"The force of his own merit makes his way."
--Henry VIII.
"Well, I am, not fair; and therefore I pray the gods to make me honest."
--As You Like It.
"He's honest, on mine honour."
--Henry VIII.
"He hath a heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper; for
what his heart thinks, his tongue speaks."
--Much Ado About Nothing.
"For now he lives in fame, though not in life."
--Richard III.
If circumstances won't make a poet, as genius contemptuously asserts,
nor make up for blood in a horse, as even the stable boy swears to, they
are at times marvellously effective in making, and, for the matter of
that, also in unmaking men. So might we say with regard to the
well-known subject of this sketch, who, arriving amongst us with the
earliest, and within the repellent surrounding of an evil repute, yet
under different surroundings and favouring circumstances outlived all
traducements, whether true or otherwise, and after a long, practical,
and singularly useful career, died in the full regard of his adopted
country. The unanimity of dislike and moral depreciation with which he
was regarded by his Tasmanian fellows was not indeed without a certain
share of reason or excuse. That he was the son of a convict ought not,
of course, to prejudice him in these Christian days, when the sins of
the fathers are not to be visited upon the sons even to the first
generation. His father arrived with Collins's prisoner party, and the
boy, John Pascoe, then eleven years old, was sent with his parent--for
not seldom were wives or children thus sent with the convicts, to
ameliorate by such a touch of nature the hard features of a society of
adult vice, much as Hogarth, in some of his masterpieces of the human
woes or vices of his time, gives, in striking contrast, a foreground of
maternal affection, or of children at play in the artless innocence of
their looks and ways.
But he was probably neither a pretty nor an interesting boy; for as a
man he was of the very plainest, with a short figure, always negligently
"put on," a rough, mannerless way, and a voice husky and hoarse,
although redeemed at times into an approach to commanding an audience,
when he was strongly stirred in some exciting cause. Some people have no
patience to subdue natural antipathies in such cases, and these people
would, as well-known scripture (with some transposition of the idea)
tells us, be apt to be most plentiful "in his own country." But, again,
Fawkner was himself a convict. Yes, but for what? Certainly if a man so
notorious in after life had committed any very disparaging crime it must
have been as notorious as his name. But I never heard anything
distinctive beyond that he had, for something or other, passed under the
Caudine Forks of the Van Diemen's Land Criminal Courts. Inevitably his
early upbringing was in low associations, where, probably, ties of
friendly feeling survived, as to which he might have said with the bard
of Avon--"I am not of that feather to shake off my friend when he must
need me" (Timon of Athens). My impression was that he had been convicted
of harbouring, or aiding to escape, some who had broken the law,
whatever more that may have meant, for, with his pluck, he was probably
little troubled about niceties of fine feeling, and, thus accoutred,
Providence dropped the man amongst altogether different circumstances
and associations in his new location.
I had much to do with Fawkner, especially after he and I met in our
young colony's first Legislature, and after I sufficiently knew him, so
as to allow for the rough exterior of his nature, I never had but one
opinion of the man. That opinion was, that throughout every condition of
the considerable space of his later life, whether in health or sickness,
strength or weakness, prosperity or adversity--for, at first at least,
he, like many others, was not prosperous in golden-fleeced and golden
Victoria--he toiled, late and early, for what, in his honest judgment,
was for the good of his colony; and with a singleness of purpose which
was not excelled--was not, I think, equalled, to my knowledge at
least--by any other in that colony.
He seemed to make an ascent under the exhilarating circumstances of his
new and increasingly responsible position, and to have the consciousness
of a great mission, which nerved him to surmount all that was dubious in
his earlier career. Nor was he behind in less pretentious ways. I never
once heard of any mean or over-reaching act of his, even in the smallest
matters. He once told me, in his prosperous days, with much becoming
feeling, and as an incident he could never forget, that when quite
broken in fortune, he had received, as unasked as unexpected, a most
timely pecuniary help from Mr. Henry Moor, the well-known solicitor. The
two were, I think, at hearty variance across the political hedge; the
more honour to both.
We have seen that he showed pluck in his earlier life, even in bad
associations; and he displayed the same under better auspices later on.
His action with a certain gravely suspected Commissioner of Crown Lands
was a good illustration. This high functionary, who, in those
pre-constitutional times, was practically an irresponsible Caesar over a
vast estate of dependent Crown tenants, whose interests might in any
case be seriously jeopardized by any unfairness, and who, therefore,
like the wife of his prototype, should be even above suspicion, was
accused by rumours, of no slight noise or breadth, of unfaithfulness to
his charge, and in the grossest and most mercenary of forms. Even with
the clearest case it was anything but assuring to attack such a man in
those days of authority. But Fawkner's bite was too deep for any laissez
faire cure, and so, nolens volens, the Commissioner had to defend or
retrieve his character. The verdict of a farthing damages, at which
amount the jury estimated that character in the case, was complete
justification to Fawkner, and laid the whole Province under lasting
obligation to him for a most important public service.
Another of his more prominent services was upon the first Gold
Commission, 1854-5, summoned hastily together by the Governor, Sir
Charles Hotham, under the surprise, not unmixed with consternation,
caused by the Ballarat riot, an incident which, in some of its aspects,
such as the stockade structure, deserved rather the graver name of
rebellion. Already in his 63rd year, in broken health, and certainly the
weakest physically of the membership, he was the most active of all,
ever running full tilt into every abuse or fault or complaint that might
help to explain this unwonted, and, indeed, utterly purposeless and
stupid incident of a British community. In my capacity as chairman, I
appreciated Fawkner's untiring, or more properly, unyielding spirit, and
under travelling fatigues, too, of no mean trial even to younger men.
For the Colossus of Rhodes, as my energetic friend, Dr. (now Sir
Francis) Murphy, was humorously called, on accepting, recently before,
the charge of the rutty and miry ways of golden Victoria, had as yet
made but feeble progress in his most urgent mission. We learned enough
to explain, at least, if not to excuse the miners; and were thus guided
to a reconstruction of goldfields administration. This was chiefly in
that national element, hitherto utterly absent there, of local
representative institutions; and the change has since assured the future
from even John Bull's proverbial growling. General McArthur, with a few
troops, promptly, but not without considerable bloodshed, ended the sad
farce. In view of the very exceptional features of an incident extremely
unlikely to occur again, Fawkner and most others of the commission were
most decided for a general condonance; and this was agreed to in the
report by all except the Official Commissioner, Mr. Wright, who,
excusably enough, sided with his official superiors for a treason trial.
But the jury, as might have been anticipated, acquitted the prisoners.
One of their leaders, Mr. Peter Lalor, who lost one of his arms in the
cause, has since been for many years Speaker of the Victorian Assembly,
and as loyal to his Queen as he is genial to his many friends.
When we wound up the Commission's inquiry at Castlemaine, and on the
morning of a hot midsummer day embarked upon one of the springless "Cobb
and Co's" of the time, with the prospect of ten or twelve hours of
terrible jolting before us, poor old Fawkner seemed so much enfeebled
that I was in some doubt as to his being landed alive at Melbourne. But,
game to the last, he rode uncomplainingly through all; and he lived even
a goodly number of years after, but only to do more and more work. Old
General Anderson, of early colonial memory, had a habit, quite his own,
of saying to the face of anyone whose conduct gave him satisfaction, and
in his blunt soldierly way, "Sir, I have a great respect for you." Such
an accrediting and not unacceptable declaration he addressed, times
more, I think, than once, to Fawkner. Indeed, all classes of the colony,
from the highest, in which the gallant colonel moved, to the humblest,
now alike recognized the veteran who had so long and so well fought for
them all. When at last the spirit quitted the worn-out frame, and its
well-known form, possibly, even to the last, keeping up still, amongst
some few, the lingering dislike of the long past, was to be no more seen
amongst us, there seemed but one impulse for the occasion, which
fittingly expressed itself in a funeral procession entirely
unprecedented in its every aspect. This was not less to the colony's
honour than to that of Fawkner. He died on 4th September, 1869. Not the
least impressive feature of the funeral, perhaps the most, was the
remarkable prayer offered up at the grave by the Reverend Dr. Cairns.
Victoria's most eloquent preacher, in giving the true setting to the
life and character of the man, thanked God, in the name of the colony,
for such a life, the influence and example of which could not but be for
good to all who were to follow. He has fought bravely for the R.I.P. of
the tomb. He rests from his labours, and his works do follow him.