The MITCHAM HISTORIcal society
IncORPORATED NEWSLETTER
POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 903 Mitcham Shopping Centre S. A. 5062
Web Site:
Volume 5 Number1 December 2011
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Title Page
/1
/Editorial, Disclaimer, Privacy Act.
/2
Chairperson’s Report & New Members
/ 3 / Break – Up Flier /4
News: Mitcham - Calendar 2012 /5
The Mitcham Woluntarian Rifle Corpses /7
/Samuel Ellison
/8
A Brownhill Creek Mystery /13
/Four Flats and a Sharp
/14
Address Page
/20
OFFICE BEARERS FOR 2011
Patron: / Mr.Tim Oughton / PrincipalScotchCollegeChairperson / Julie Hogan / Tel:0430472262or8338 3238
Vice Chairperson & Editor / Rick Irving / Tel: 08 8272 9707
Treasurer / Brian Angus
Secretary / Cheryl Schneider
Committee Members / Trish Cosh / Margaret White
K
John Wood / Christine Edwards
Rowena Atkinson
EDITORIAL
Researching historical information about people and places can be a very rewarding experience, where the opening of one “door” will often give a clue to others waiting to both be discovered and then opened. These in turn will often do the same, so as one fact is found, more are usually awaiting discovery.
Mitcham, Adelaide and the rest of South Australia all abound in history, whether it is associated with people, geographical locations, industry, commerce or something else. To present valid and cohesive articles for this edition, it was necessary to do quite a lot of research to find the correct information. In doing so, I found it very rewarding and interesting.
Researching and presenting information to be used in articles in this newsletter is something all members of the Mitcham Historical Society can do, and all articles on South Australia’s history are welcome.
DISCLAIMER
Views and opinions expressed in articles in the Newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the Mitcham Historical Society Inc. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of articles printed, responsibility is not accepted for any errors they may contain that are out of the Society’s control.
THE PRIVACY ACT
A member’s personal information collected by the Society, for example name, address and telephone number, will only be used for forwarding of the Newsletter and relevant information concerning the Society. The information will not be shared, sold or given to any third party without the member’s consent. Any e-mails will be treated as above. However, any information sent by e-mail will be at the sender’s risk and the Society will not be held responsible for any unintended use or disclosure of this.
MESSAGE FROM CHAIRPERSON
The Society’s AGM took place in the Drawing Room, ScotchCollege on Tuesday 27th September. Attendance numbers were considerably down from previous years and while I understand that most of us would try to avoid an AGM “like the plague”, we would strongly encourage more members to attend these events as support is necessary for our organization. Elected members are as follows: Chairperson – Julie Hogan, Vice-Chairperson - Rick Irving, Treasurer – Brian Angus, Secretary – Cheryl Schneider, Auditor – John Dibbon with Committee Members – Rowena Atkinson, Trish Cosh, Christine Edwards, Margaret White and John Wood. (Post AGM, we have an additional committee member, Judith Arnold.) I could not ask for a more lovely and dedicated group of people to work with and sincerely appreciate all their help during the year. We are now in the throes of organising our 2012 programme and promise to deliver a plethora of events for members to participate in. At the AGM I was deeply honoured to receive a Life Membership to the MHS Society and initially this honour took me by surprise as I feel I have still yet to pay my dues to receive such an award. After our AGM formalities, Richard Heathcote gave us a wonderful insight into the lives of Ursula & Edward Hayward of Carrick Hill. As expected, Richard’s presentation was splendidly executed (despite the technological problems) and it was not only informative but presented with Richards’s wry humour. Our last event for the year will be the Christmas Drinks at the Edinburgh Hotel, Tuesday 13th December at 4pm and for those who can attend, I look forward to catching up with you. Happy Christmas to you all and your families and best wishes for 2012.
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom” Marcel Proust
NEW MEMBERS SINCE OUR PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER
We acknowledge and sincerely welcome Margaret Curkpatrick, Rosemary Mackenzie and Alysha MacPhedran who have shown support for our Society by becoming members.
CHRISTMAS BREAK – UP FLIER
The MITCHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC.
Invites You To
CHRISTMAS DRINKS
AT THE
‘ED’
4pm Tuesday 13th December 2011
The committee invites you to join them for a Christmas drink
and nibbles in the beer garden of the Edinburgh Hotel.
(Food compliments of MHS Inc)
Please advise attendance by phoning
BRIAN ANGUS ph 8299 9003
PROGRAMME FOR 2012
March
Monday 5th: 6pm to 8pm
Twilight Walking Tour – MitchamVillage
Hosted by Glen Woodward
Meet at Mitcham Heritage Research Centre
Cost: Gold coin
Contact: Julie Hogan: 8338 3238 or 0430 472 262
April
Mines/Wines & Markets Bus Trip
Sunday 22nd Time: 9.30am
Visiting Macclesfield, Meadows & Prospect Hill
Bus departs from Mitcham Council Car Park
Cost to be advised
Limited seats so book early to avoid disappointment
Contact: John Wood: 8373 3374 or 0402 781 601
Julie Hogan: 8338 3238 or 0430 472 262
May
About Time SA’s History Festival Activities
Strathspey Tour – MercedesCollege
Sunday 6th May Time: 2pm
Tour of Historical StrathspeyBuilding
Contact: Julie Hogan: 8338 3238 or 0430 472 262
Allison’s Apothecary Opening
21 Albert Street, MitchamVillage
Wednesdays 9th, 16th & 23rd May
Contact: Trish Cosh: 0418 829 034
June
CoromandelValley & Districts National Trust Presentation
Wednesday 13th June Time: 7.30pm
Drawing Room, ScotchCollege
Contact: Julie Hogan: 8338 3238 or 0430 472 262
July
“Crimes of Adelaide” – State Library Tour
Tuesday 17th: 11am
Contact: Julie Hogan: 8338 3238 or 0430 472 262
August
Haigh’s Chocolate Tour
Date to be advised
September
Tuesday 25th : 7.30pm
AGM
Drawing Room, ScotchCollege
Contact: Committee Members
October
Mt Lofty/Bridgewater Adelaide Hills Bus Trip
Date to be advised
Bus departs from Mitcham Council Car Park
Cost to be advised
November
Royal Agricultural & Horticultural SocietyArchivesMuseum Tour
Wednesday 14th: 10.30am
Peruse through our State’s history with photographs, artefacts & Minute Books from 1856
Meet at the Adelaide Royal Showgrounds (Leader Street Entrance)
Contact: Julie Hogan: 8338 3238 or 0430 472 262
December
Tuesday 11th: 4pm
Christmas Breakup Function at Edinburgh Hotel
Contact: Brian Angus: 8299 9003
The CoromandelValley and Districts National Trust now have a brandnew website – check it out here.
Here is an absolutely delightful “letter to the Editor” in regard to a certain spelling error. The letter refers to the South Australian Volunteer Military Force, Mitcham Company.
THE MITCHAM WOLUNTARIAN RIFLE CORPSES
TO THE HEDITER OF THE REGISTER.
Sur — I just com back from Melbourne andsee in the paper as there's a wolunteer corpse —but I suppose that's a misprint (leastways afriend ofmine tells me so) — started at Mitcham. Now whatmy friend callsa corpse l don’t exactly understand; but he's such a precious cleverfeller that you very often can't understandhim.
Now, I want to join the wolunteers, but Mr.Somebody preposed that nobody should joinunless he was registered as a qualified woter.Now, my mississ paid my rates when I wasaway, but she did not register my wote— therefore,in course I woppedher; but, having lost any wote for anybody as is fool enuf to gointo Council and be bullied for nothing, I dothink it rather hard that I can’t have a chance of being shot at along with my neighbours,the Mitcham rifle corpses.
Sir, I'm a ill- used man, and when the hedof the party comes back I'll get him to talk to the Mitcham corpsesabout it; cos I can't see any connection between woting for a memberof Council and being deprived of protectingmy harth and ome at a bob a day.
I am,Sir,
A HIL-USED GOLD-DIGGER.
Mitcham. [1]
Samuel Ellison, Farmer of Brownhill Creek.
Samuel Ellison, the son of Thomas and Hannah, was born on the 20 May 1798, in Thornton, in Yorkshire, England. Shortly before his 31st birthday, on the 16th of May 1829, in Saint John the Baptist’s Anglican Church in Burslem, Staffordshire, Samuel married Elizabeth Tatton. With three young daughters and an infant son, Samuel and Elizabeth left London for Port Adelaide on board the barque “Royal Admiral” captained by David Martin, on the 7th of August 1840, arriving on the 13th of December. ([2])
Thomas, Elizabeth and their family of four lived near Adelaide for the first two years, the 1841 Census showing both Samuel and Elizabeth as being under 35, a son and daughter under 7 years (George and Charlotte) and two daughters under 14, being Elizabeth and Ann.
Their son James, the first to be born in South Australia was born in the Emigration Depot, situated about where the Currie-street school now stands, on February 14, 1841.([3]) An idea of the Emigration Depot can be gained by reading the following two short extracts, included here. The first points out that housing for emigrants was available. “During the high wind on Friday 25th of August morning, three of the double houses in the Emigration Depot were completely destroyed, three more unroofed, and several blown out of their places and into various shapes. Mr. Brown, the Emigration Agent has, we learn, taken the necessary steps to repair the mischief.”([4]) More importantly, the second mentions that there was a “temporary hospital” available at the Emigration Depot. “A small house for the Emigration Agent near his depot, and a surgery and temporary hospital at the emigration depot; the depot itself thoroughly repaired.” ([5])
The Ellison family moved to the Brownhill Creek area in late 1842 or early 1843 where Samuel leased or squatted on CrownLand and established a small farm. Their fifth child, Joseph Ellison, was born on 7th October 1843 at Brownhill Creek. Samuel Ellison was listed in James Allen's “South Australian Almanac and General Directory” of 1844 as having “three acres of wheat, one half acre of barley, one-quarter acre of potatoes and seven cattle (cows).” ([6])
The International Genealogical Index for the Southwest Pacific area lists the birth of Joseph Ellison at Brownhill Creek (Mitcham) on the 7th of October, 1843, which also shows that the family were living in Brownhill Creek at the time, as is also noted by R. Grigg. ([7]) While he began in a small way, as James Allen's “South Australian Almanac and General Directory” of 1844 states, Samuel Ellison had “three acres of wheat, one half acre of barley, one-quarter acre of potatoes and seven cattle (cows).” ([8])
A short report on page 2 of the South Australian Register for Saturday June 3rd, 1848 states the following: “Abstract of Declarations of Acreage deposited at the Office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, during the period between the 4th of April and the 30th of May, 1848, published in the Government Gazette, in pursuance of the provisions of the Crown Lands Act. No. 11, 1846:—“Samuel Ellison deposited a declaration for 109 acres. ([9]) This declaration was also repeated in 1849 ([10]) and 1850. ([11])
The principles on which the new colony was to be founded all turned on the question of land administration. All the land was considered the property of the Crown. It was not to be given away, but surveyed and sold systematically at a minimum price intended to discourage speculation and encourage people with some capital to make South Australia their new home. Unsold Crown land would be leased for pastoral use on payment of the prescribed rental.
Licenses to be of three kinds namely first a depasturing license authorising only the depasturing of stock, second an occupation license authorising the enclosing cultivating and building as well as depasturing stock, and third a timber license authorising only the cutting sawing splitting or removing of timber or other natural produce. Terms for obtaining license: a depasturing license ten shillings and sixpence, an occupation license five pounds, a timber licence one pound: Proviso that all applications for such licenses for 1843 shall be made through the commissioner on or before the 15th December next and shall be accompanied by a report of stock which was in possession of applicant on the 15th November previously. ([12])
Having the use of his land, Samuel Ellison was granted a Pasturage Certificate for the year 31st March, 1850. He was allowed to have 21 “Great Cattle” ([13]) to depasture. ([14]) The following year he was allowed to have 27 Great Cattle. ([15])
He was issued with a timber licence in 1850 and although more children were born at Brownhill Creek it was not until 1853 at the age of 65 that he formalised a 21-year lease for the north side of the creek with John Grainger. ([16]) In 1853, Samuel leased four Sections from John Grainger, and the area became known as Ellison’s Gully.
Where did Samuel Ellison and his family live? A report made at this time stated that “"I have been dreadfully perplexed and bothered with some of the trails, especially in Brown-Hill Creek, which divides into 3 branches, also there are a number of unknown squatters living amongst these horrific ranges". In the 1840’s, the new road to Adelaide was considered too busy for droving herds of sheep and cattle, so a second route was used, and during wet periods William and Samuel Ellison acted as good guides on this route, through Brown-Hill Creek, ending abruptly at Torrens Park, where stock were rested with William Moulden. ([17]) The route was partially through what later became Ellison’s Gully.
Grigg, author of “The Ellison Family: Farmer and Dairyman; Brownhill Creek” states that Samuel Ellison was one of the pioneer settlers in the upper reaches of the BrownhillCreekValley. Samuel and family came to the valley in late 1842 or early 1843 where they lived, raised their family and operated a farm and dairy until 1868, a period of 24 years. ([18])
Tenders for the Lease on the property where the Ellison’s lived state that they leased Sections 1076, 1092, 1004 and 921, all of which formed a large area of land, 291 acres in total. The following advertisement gives more details.
“PASTURE near GLEN OSMOND.— TENDERS will be received till Wednesday, the 8th May at noon, at the Office of the Undersigned for the LEASE of SECTIONS 921, 1004, 1076, and 1092, containing 291 Acres, at per annum, for a term net exceeding seven years. The Sections are fenced and well watered, and there is a House on the Property, lately in the occupation of Mr. Samuel Ellison. No Tender will necessarily be accepted. WRIGHT BROTHERS, Adelaide. ([19])
There are a few other clues as to where they lived reported in various South Australian Newspapers of the time, as examples, there was a creek on the property – “and in some way managed to conceal himself at a creek that complainant crossed,”; ([20]) and the property was near Mount Barker road, “Samuel Ellison, Mount Barker road”; ([21])
There are also a few newspaper reports stating that Samuel Ellison was a pound keeper, of Mitcham, which also gives a clue to where he lived. ([22]) He “impounded two cows belonging to a Mr. Andrewartha“([23]) and “impounded two head of horses, and charged excessive damage thereon “, the horses being Mr. Andrewartha’s. ([24])
Samuel was most probably a parishioner of St. Saviour's, Glen Osmond, as a letter sent to the Rev. Frederick C. Platts, stating (in part) “Rev. Sir— We the undersigned, members of the Church of England, resident in Glen Osmond and its neighbourhood, have heard with surprise and great regret that your licence has been suspended by the Bishop, without apparent cause or justification, and that you nave been forbidden to officiate any longer as our minister.”, was signed by him. ([25])
Samuel was conscious of the dangers of fires in the area, and we have a letter and two newspaper reports from the mid nineteenth century. A letter from him, with regard to the late fire near his residence, stating that he had received no damage from it was sent to the Mitcham Council. ([26])
Three years later, three boys were caught lighting fires on his property, and the report states ” Caution against fire.— On Saturday last three boys were arrested for wilfully setting fire to the grass of a section at Glen Osmond belonging to Mr. S. Ellison. The damage such a wanton act might have caused, had it not been promptly discovered, would probably have been very serious, particularly as tho grass just now is very dry and inflammable. ([27])
More information on this fire was published in another newspaper. It stated that “ Henry Thomas Kealey, Thomas Ekson, and George Pippett were charged, on the information of Samuel Ellison, with willfully setting fire to the grass in one of the complainant's paddocks, thereby endangering his and other persons' property. The informant said he owned two sections of land at Glen Osmond. They were thickly covered with dry grass about a foot in height, which would readily burn if ignited. The adjoining sections contained standing crops of wheat and barley. On Saturday afternoon, the 24th instant, tho defendants, boys about tho age of nine years, were seen setting fire to the grass in one of the complainant's paddocks. The person who saw them fortunately extinguished the fire before much damage had been done. The Court fined the defendants £5 each, and advised their parents to keep a closer watch on them in future. ([28])
Having farmed “the valley” for over twenty years, Samuel, Elizabeth and their family retired to Glen Osmond in late 1868 where they lived the remainder of their life. ([29]) Samuel Ellison passed away in 1885, his death notice stating “DEATH: ELLISON — On the 9th April, at Hutt-street, Samuel Ellison, aged 85 years. A colonist of 44 years.“ ([30]) His wife, Elizabeth lived another eleven years, passing away on the 15th of June 1896 aged 87 years and was buried with her husband in the Glen Osmond Cemetery. ([31])
Θθθ A Brownhill Creek Mystery Θθθ
LEFT her HOME at Mitcham, on Saturday last, December 16, ELIZABETH HANNAHFRANCIS, 13 years of age, dark complexion, dark curlyhair, deep scar under the right eye. Any one that can give any information to Mrs. Francis, Mitcham, BrownhillCreek, will greatly oblige.[32] No further references to her were found in Newspapers. What happened to her?