Charles Walter CROMPTON

  b.07apr1850, Cox's Creek, South Australia
  d.25jun1929, Melb(ourne) S(outh), Victoria.
    Age at death given as 79.

Charles married Elizabeth COX (1854-1925) on 15 April 1873 (Vic BMD 2203/1873). Elizabeth (Lizzie) was the daughter of Francis, a miner, and Jane COX. Francis owned the house in which he, Elizabeth and Charles Walter CROMPTON were living at the time of his death in 1882. It was a three roomed brick cottage situated in the lower portion of Emerald Hill in South Melbourne, which was subject to inundation by the Yarra when it flooded. It was worth £300 in 1882. He left the house jointly to his children, Elizabeth CROMPTON, Jessie COX, Francis COX and John COX. He requested in his will that £60 be put aside to erect a headstone over his and his wife's grave.

Charles Walter and Lizzie had no children. An insight in Charles' early life is inferred in the life of William Henry COX jnr.

Elizabeth COX, Charles Walter's wife

Elizabeth, the daughter of Francis COX and Jane SOWTON, was born in the first quarter of 1854 in Devon (GRO Plympton St Mary 5b 209). Her father, Francis COX (aka COCK) was born in 1827 in Tavistock. Devon. From her headstone, her mother Jane was born in 1828, but there are no GRO record before 1837. Francis and Jane married in the second quarter of 1850 at St Andrews, Plymouth (GRO ref: Plymouth 9 454 as Francis COCK). In the 1851 census Francis, a miner, Jane and one child were lodgers in the home of labourer John Wallen.

1851 Census Sun/Mon 30/31st March 1851
Source:     FHL Film  TNA Ref H1O7
            Piece: 1870; Folio: 566; Page: 12; Sched: 42
Dwelling:   Mary Street    
Place:      Bovey Tracey, [Newton Abbot], Devon

Name         Rel   Mar  Age  Occupation                  Birthplace 
Francis Cox  Head   M    24  Miner 1                     Cornwall 2
Jane Cox     Wife   M    25                              Cornwall
Francis Cox   Son         1mn                            Devon, Bovey Tracey

It is possible that Elizabeth was born in the third quarter of 1854 (GRO ref: Newton Abbot 5b 255). Her parents left for Australia between 1854 and 1856. 3 Three known siblings were born in Ballarat: John Thomas 4 in 1856 (Vic BMD 8160/1856), Jessie in 1858 (Vic BMD 11443/1858) and Henry in 1861 (Vic BMD 20076/1861). Jane died on 11 September 1879 in Clunes (Vic BMD 7369/1879) aged 51 and Frank (Francis) died in South Melbourne on 20 February 1882 (Vic BMD 1451/1882). Both are buried at Clunes, not far from Ballarat. Right: Francis and Jane Cox's headstone Clunes

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The Argus of 19 April 1873 announces the marriage of Charles Walter and Elizabeth. (Vic BMD 2203/1873) It records that Elizabeth was from Clues - 23km north of Miners Rest and CW's home in Park Place, South Yarra. This suggest CW had accumulated enough wealth to own or rent his own property. Left: The Argus marriage announcement 19 April 1873

The Federal Australian Electoral Roll, which started 1903 and is available in Ancestry, gives the family homes as: 1903 1185 Crompton, Charles Walter, 114 Park st., Sth Melb, contractor 1903 1186 Crompton, Lizzie, 114 Park st., home duties where they lived until moving to St Kilda Road in 1913. Right: 114 Park Street South Melbourne

• 1913 1360 Crompton, Charles Walter, 344 St Kilda rd., South Melb, builder, Fawkner a sub- division of South Melbourne
• 1913 1361 Crompton, Elizabeth, 344 St Kilda rd., South Melb, home duties, Fawkner a sub- division of South Melbourne

This was the couples home until Elizabeth died on 22 July 1925

• 1925 1427 Crompton, Charles Walter, 344 St Kilda rd., South Melb, builder, Albert Park a sub-division of South Melbourne

where he lived until his death on 25 June 1929.

End notes

1. There were ten iron mines within a triangle formed by Bovey Tracey, Moretonhampstead and Hennock all on the eastern edge of Dartmoor.
2. Their birth in Cornwall can not be confirmed by the 1841 census. Sowton appears to be a Devon name. Sowter appears to be a name from East Anglia.
3. There is no obvious name in the Public Record Office Victoria's (PROV) assisted and unassisted passenger lists for these dates.
4. John Thomas COX married Sarah RICHARDSON, born in 1866 in Collingwood, Victoria, in 1882. He died on 23 July 1913 at 750 Lygon Street, North Carlton, Victoria. He was buried at Coburg Cemetery, Melbourne on 25 July 1913. Sarah died in 1897 at East Hotham, Victoria

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Charles Walter CROMPTON contractor

Charles Walter's obituary notes that his building work began in 1870. The scale of Charles Walter's work as a contractor and builder can be seen from the letter of Daniel Matthys:

Whilst researching [...] the history of the parish [St Mary's Star of the Sea, Catholic parish of West Melbourne] I came across the original contract for the completion of the superstructure of the existing church building. One of the signatories to this document was a Charles Walter CROMPTON, described as a contractor in South Melbourne. This is of especial interest to me because the blue prints of St Mary's have never been found. [...] There is a possibility that Charles CROMPTON, as contractor and co-signer of the contract, may have been entrusted with the architectural blueprints and plans for the building to be completed in [the architect's] absence.

St Mary Star of the Sea is one of the most beautiful and historically significant churches in Australia. The foundation stone was laid in 1882 and the building was completed by 1900. Since 2002 restoration has been ongoing to restore the church to its original splendour. At 175 feet (53.3m) long and 94 feet (28.7m) wide and with seating for over 1,200 people, it has been described as the largest parish church in Melbourne, in Victoria, or even in Australia.

A young and as yet unknown architect, Edgar J. Henderson, tendered plans for a grandiose sandstone cruciform in the French Gothic style. The plans were criticised by Archbishop Carr for being too large, but parishioners embraced the ambitious project. Within a year, economic depression had wrought havoc on the project's finance. Remarkably, despite devastating poverty, parishioners funded ongoing construction and church was built in eight years. On the death of Henderson, Phillip Kennedy took over the architectural role to influence interior design. Henderson's rose windows, battered plinths, cylindrical turrets and soaring groined timber ceiling of the French Gothic Revival. Kennedy's glossy marble and granite pillars, intricate marble fittings and pink tinted walls, show an Italianate influence. On 18 February Cardinal Moran opened and blessed the new church to great fanfare, before an assembly of 1,400.

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The Advocate, a local Catholic newspaper, remarked that "The congregation has literally emerged from the worst ecclesiastical building in the colony to enter one of the finest." On 12 February 1925, His Excellency Archbishop Cattaneo, Apostolic Delegate, dedicated the new marble high altar and consecrated the completed church.

The web site for St Mary' s Star of the Sea, Catholic parish of West Melbourne (Accessed 14 February 2020) shows the original construction and modern restoration project.

The opening page of St Mary's Star of the Sea estimate signed by CW Crompton on 14 April 1892 kindly supplied by an email from Daniel Matthys. The total cost was £45, 661 1 shilling and 5pence. From the Retail Price Index comparison the 2019 equivalent would be £5,002,000 or A$5,576,000. See right: Click on the image to open a scalable pdf of the contract in a new window

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In 1892 one job appears to have caused a complaint. In the ESSENDON COURT. Monday, July 11th. Before Messrs. Davies and Learmonth Js.P. Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses v James O'Reilly, half-coat of asphalting, £2 12s. 2d. Case withdrawn. Same v Charles Crompton, half cost of asphalting, £3. Exparto order for £2 19s. with 10s. costs. Trove: Melbourne Advertiser Friday 15 July 1892, p.2 (Accessed: 03 March 2021) Right: The St James Building at 111 William Street in 1940 built by CW CROMPTON Contractors - see obituary Source: State Library of Victoria H94.150/45

In June 1924 The Argus reported that Ludstone Chambers had been bought by Orient Steam Navigation Company for £71,000 (2019 RPI equivalent £4,079,000 A$5,640,000.) The brick building consists of three stories and a basement. It stands on land having a frontage of 43ft. 11½in. (13.4m) by a depth of 157ft. 9in (48m), and contains two shops and numerous offices. The building was designed by the late Mr. Anketell Henderson, and was planned to carry two additional stories. The premises were originally the property of the John Matthew Vincent Smith and his son, of Smith and Emmerton, solicitors. The Orient Company acquired the property as their permanent home. The ground floor shops were converted into one large office, with a reconstructed modern front, and portion of the rear be taken in. The building was to be renovated and considerable improvements made. Left: 352-356 Collins Street in 1959 built by CW CROMPTON Contractors as Ludstone Chambers: a brick building on the north side mid-way between Queen and Elizabeth Street - see obituary Source: State Library of Victoria Accession No: H92.20/6581

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Charles Walter the investor

On page 4 of the Bendigo Advertiser of 22 November 1871, The Newbery Indefatigable Quartz Mining Company (Limited), listed its shareholders. The company was based at Specimen Hill, Bendigo 1 with its registered office at Gromann's Chambers, View Point, Sandhurst. Sandhurst was the location given for Charles W Crompton, then a carpenter. The nominal capital invested was £12,000 (£1.079m A$1539m in 2019 RPI terms) 24,000 ten shilling shares (£45 A$64 in 2019 RPI terms. Some £6, 000 had already invested, including Charles Walter's 1000 shares costing him £500 £45,000 A$64,100 in 2019 RPI terms). Nineteen days later, page 3 of the Bendigo Advertiser 28 November 1871 records a call of one half penny (£0.18 A$0.26 in 2019 RPI terms) per share made on or before Monday 11 December 1871. Trove shows no record of the mine between 1872 and 1880. Right: Victoria Government Gazette 19 January 1872 p.136

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Charles Walter CROMPTON grazier

There is another Charles Walter CROMPTON, a grazier in the Drouin area of Gippsland recorded with William Henry CROMPTON. The family connection, see below, suggests that this is the same CROMPTON family as William Henry was Charles William's adopted son and William Henry's wife has the correct forename.. However, the Electoral Roll shows that Caleb's son was a builder/contractor living in Melbourne and Charles Walter's wife, Elizabeth (Lizzie), is recorded living South Melbourne in 1906. The Victoria Police Gazette (Ancestry) records several crimes against CW CROMPTON, the grazier/farmer, and one against Charles CROMPTON, of South Melbourne (see below). The Gazette of 2 December 1891 records CW Crompton, builder of 163(?) Park Street South Melbourne, reported stolen, on 7th April last, a red heifer, white face, white stripe along ridge of back, white belly, branded A in circle on off rump, and mark like R on rear rump; was in calf when stolen. ¹ This suggests CW CROMPTON contractor and grazier were the same person. It is further suggested that the farming was seen as an investment managed by his adopted son.

The Electoral Roll records:

• 1903 19 Crompton, Charles Walter, Longwarry, farmer - Nyora a subdivision of Flinders

• 1912 340 Crompton, Charles Walter, Yelverton, Drouin, grazier - Drouin subdivision of Flinders
• 1912 341 Crompton, William Henry, Yelverton, Drouin, farmer - his adopted son

• 1913 342 Crompton, Charles Walter, Yelverton, Drouin, grazier
• 1913 343 Crompton, William Henry, Yelverton, Drouin, farmer

• 1914 336 Crompton, Alice Jessie Mabel, Athlone, home duties
• 1914 337 Crompton, Charles Walter, Yelverton, Drouin, grazier
• 1914 341 Crompton, William Henry, Yelverton, Drouin, farmer

The last record of these three CROMPTONS is 1919.

In 1915 Alice, the wife of William Henry, appears but at a different address.

• 1915 336 Crompton, Alice Jessie Mabel, Athlone, home duties

where she remains, probably in service, until 1918.

This is likely to be William Henry COX jnr., the ninth child of Elizabeth Emily Milner CROMPTON and William Henry COX, who was born in 1882. He is recorded as being one of two children adopted by Charles Walter CROMPTON. Along with his sister, Jessie Maria, they took the surname COX-CROMPTON. His grandson Colin Neil also took the name COX-CROMPTON. On 03 May 1913 he married Alice Jessie Mabel DOBSON.

However, this situation is more complex than it appears. On 13 January 1888, the Victoria Government Gazette records that Charles Walter CROMPTON purchased the lease of 319 acres and 37 perches (129.4 hectares) in the parish of Longwarry near Warragul from Rachel L Crook. This confirms Charles Walter was both a contractor of South Melbourne and the purchaser of land at Longwarry.

The Victoria Police Gazette records several incidents regarding Charles Walter's property in Gippsland.

• 1887 21 December WILLIAM O’BRIEN alias Thomas Bolton, About 26 years of age 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, stoutish build, darkish complexion, dark brown moustache and short side-boards; wears light trousers, dark sac-coat, light soft-felt hat or a straw one; has the appearance of a decent working man. The offender was suspected of stealing a horse, saddle and bridle from Charles W Crompton, in South Melbourne, on the night of 16th instant, but they have been found in Carlton, yet there is good reason to belief he took them. ²
• 1888 17 October STEALING OTHERWISE THAN FROM THE PERSON OR FROM DWELLINGS STOLEN from the stable of Charles W Crompton, within the past ten days, an ordinary saddle, nearly new, with webbed surcingle. Value £2 10s ³
• 1891 2 December CW Crompton, builder, 163 Park-street, South Melbourne, reports stolen, on 7th April last, a red heifer, white face, white stripe along ridge of back, white belly, branded A in circle on off rump, and mark like R on rear rump; was in calf when stolen. – O.9675. 1st December 1891 ⁴
• 1894 31 October 19. CHARLES W CROMPTON, grazier, Lang Lang East, reports stolen in May and September last, a white or strawberry heifer, 3 years old, branded FS on off rump, shell off side horn; red-roan cow, hooked in horns, brand unknown. Value £6. O.9420 30th October 1894 ⁵
• 1894 12 December See Police Gazette, 1894 p.308, CHARLES W CROMPTON’S cattle stealing – The red-roan cow has been found dead – O.9420 10th December 1894 ⁶

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• 1912 12 September CW Crompton, farmer, Yelverton, reports (supposed) stolen at Yelverton, about 12 miles from Drouin, between 1st July and the 20th ult.. a black and white cow, more black than white, branded F on off rump; a white cow, little red on ears, may have may have little red on neck and head, close around ears, both ears have several slits in them. Both animals are in calf, and if branded, the brand is unknown. Value £10, - O.6539A 6th September 1912 ⁷
• 1913 3 July CW Crompton, farmer, Yelverton via Drouin, reports stolen at Yelverton, about a month ago, an all-red heifer, 3½ years old, branded 42 on off rump, Value £6 – O,4941A, 25 June 1913 ⁸

Above: A composite image of the Victoria Government Gazette, for January 1888, page 90 (Accessed: 09 February 2021)

One more serious case was reported:

• 1903 4 June EDWARD CARROLL is charged, on warrant, with assault on CW Crompton , Lang Land River, near Drouin, at Lang Lang River on the 2tth inst. Description – A pugilist and labourer, 32 years of age, 5 feet 7 inches high, medium build, dark complexion, dark hair, clean shaven, hair cropped short, has a cross and “in Memory of, &” tattooed on one arm above elbow. – O.4745 30 May 1903 ⁹

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Above: A composite image of the Victoria Government Gazette, for August 1894, page 52 (Accessed: 09 February 2021)

A second publication is more explicit but it too contains the same 317 acre 37 perches lot identified as allotment 80 in the parish of Longwarry, being Crown grant vol.2308, folio 473585. However, this was a repossession. The Government Gazette implies that Charles Walter is in considerable debt. It gives notice of recovering the debt by selling all his properties and pieces on 12 September 1894 at the Law Courts on William Street, Melbourne. A second sale occurred at the Police Station Drouin on 11 September 1894 at 11 o'clock. These comprises of:

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It is likely that the two Longwarry lots were adjacent to each other making a lot of 622 acres (251.7 hectares). Interestingly, there is land in Gippsland and what is now Melbourne city. It is possible that Charles Walter invested in the land , which was managed by his adopted son. With his name on the deeds, his name was listed in the Victoria Government Gazette.

Above: A map of the Drouin area locating many of the locations mention in Charles Walter's grazing life. Yelverton is close to Drouin Click on the map to open a scalable pdf map in a new window

End notes

1. Victoria Police Gazette, 2 December 1891, p.334 - Ancestry reords are serached under Charles Crompton and CW Crompton
2. Victoria Police Gazette, 21 December 1887, p.363
3. Victoria Police Gazette, 17 October 1888, p.317
4. Victoria Police Gazette, 2 December 1894, p.334 - 163 Park Street no longer exists – now modern building 159-161 and 169-171 Park Street.
5. Victoria Police Gazette, 31 October 1894, p.308 - this introduces a new property at Lang Lang East
6. Victoria Police Gazette, 31 October 1894, p.350
7. Victoria Police Gazette, 12 September 1912, p.439
8. Victoria Police Gazette, 3 July 1913, p.387
9. Victoria Police Gazette, 4 June 1903, p.231
10. Emerald Hill appears to be an archaic name once roughly between Albert Park and South Melbourne Market near South Melbourne police station.
11. Doutta Golla (an aboriginal tribe) appears to be an archaic name once in the area of Flemington race course and Essendon on the west bank of Monee Ponds Creek.

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Charles Walter's social status

	Left: A report from page 4 of The Argus of 21 March 1938 recording Charles Walter and his wife's 'committee member' status of the Kew Golf Club on their Guest Day. This position suggests a degree of success and affluence.

Charles Walter was a member of Prahran Bowling Club of 138 Union St, Windsor. In 1865 a breakaway group formed the Prahran Bowling club, and this remained so until the 1980s, when Prahran’s greens were closed and the members rejoined Melbourne.

He was also a member of the South Melbourne cricket and bowling clubs for ten years.

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Left: A composite image of the Police Gazette of 21 December 1887 recording the theft of Charles Walter's property

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'Wahroonga', 344 St Kilda Road

Esther Kahn, a guide at Melbourne's Jewish Museum, writes that 'owning property on St Kilda Road was a sign of wealth.'

Left: Postcards showing the affluence of St Kilda Road circa 1920

This article confirms Charles Walter's occupation, but causes confusion by introducing 'a daughter' when his death certificate confirms 'no issue'. Mr. Crompton's 'daughter' was Jessie Maria COX-CROMPTON who, according to her marriage certificate, was married from 'Wahroonga', St Kilda Road, Melbourne. However, her marriage certificate records her parents as John COX, cab proprietor and Minnie BIRD. Jessie's birth certificate records her full name as Jessie Maria COX, the daughter of John Thomas COX, born circa 1856, of Clunes, Victoria. It is possible that Jessie, being born out of wedlock, was 'adopted' by her childless aunt Elizabeth and uncle Charles Walter. Charles Walter's brother-in-law was John COX, also a cab proprietor, who had a 'sister' called Jessie Maria COX. He married Sarah ROBINSON in 1882 and Mary Caroline GROCOTT in 1880. Sarah didn't die until 1897, so there is an unknown divorce or a bigamous marriage. John Thomas COX also married Minnie May BIRD in 1889, which could be a second bigamous marriage. 'Wahroonga' is 344 St Kilda Road, Charles' home. Source: The Argus of 02 January 1923, page 7

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Right: Postcards showing the affluence of St Kilda Road circa 1920

On the 6 January 1923 the Victoria News section of the Australasian recorded thieves Putting their hands through a hole made in the leadlights of the door, thieves turned the yale lock of the door of the house [...] and ransacked the house. Drawers were emptied on to the floor, clothes removed from wardrobes and thrown into the passage, and other things disturbed. 1 The break-in, occurred on 31 December 1922, was originally reported to the police on 6 January 1923.Stolen at the same time, a black fox fur, joined in the middle by two tails and a head and also has a head and tail on the front. Value £10 10s. 2 A week later more specific information was published – Finger prints found on some of the property have been identified as those of Carl Holmes. Description – Labourer 21 years, 5ft 4in, fresh complexion, fair hair, blue eyes, front teeth missing from front of upper jaw. For photo see short-sentence photo No. 19564. 3Carl Holmes was first arrested on 22 January 1920 for housebreaking in the Royal Park area. Right: A police photograph of Carl Holmes taken c.1920 4

A month later the police made an arrest. APPREHENSION MELBOURNE SOUTH – 31.12.22 Thompson, Eric, Carl Holmes, arrested by CI Senior-Constable MJ Davey, CI Constable WR Fowler and Constable A Harman 5804, Melbourne on other charge, have been charged with Charles Crompton’s housebreaking. ⁵

1. Trove (Accessed: 02 March 2021)
2. Victoria Police Gazette 11 January 1923, p.6 – O.38
3. Victoria Police Gazette, 25 January 1923 p.52, pp6 and 37
4. Victoria Police Gazette, 1920, p.6
5. Victoria Police Gazette, 1 March 1923, p.148

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'Wahroonga', 344 St Kilda Road today

	344 St Kilda Road, August 2009, which in November 2015 was the Indian Consulate

Above: An aerial view of Charles Walter's home at 344 St Kilda Road. What a view and piece of real estate! Note the position of Dorcas Street (under the address 344) and the Shrine of Remembrance featured on the Blackman page.

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Their deaths

DEATHS		The death of Elizabeth COX/CROMPTON on 22 July1925
CROMPTON - On the 22nd July 1925, at her residence, Wahroonga, 344 St. Kilda Road, South Melbourne, Elizabeth, the dearly beloved wife of CW Crompton, and the loved daughter of the late Frank and Jane Cox of Clunes, Victoria.

The information given on Charles Walter's death certificate has to be treated with some scepticism. It is thought that the 'hearsay' information given, by an 'Agent', results from Charles Walter outliving his wife Elizabeth and there being 'no issue' to report the facts. It can be imagined that Charles Walter died alone in his home in St Kilda Road, South Melbourne of bronchitis and mitral regurgitation - a leaky heart valve.

Having been born in Adelaide on 07 April 1850 the death certificate infers that Caleb moved his family to New South Wales, for a period of five years, before migrating to Dowling Forest in about 1856. However, by this date Caleb had been dead for two years.

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CW Crompton's obituary appeared in the Emerald Hill Record of 29 June 1929. It not only gives details of his main building works (see above), but of his origins in Adelaide and his bullock journey to the goldfields.It also mentions his father, Caleb, being a founder of the Dowling Forest racecourse. It confirms that he and Elizabeth had no children. Left: Emerald Hill Record 29 June 1929 p.8

Above: Bullocky team crossing Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat Source: Bate p.10

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The Record of Emerald Hill of 28 September 1929 reports Charles Walter's will. He left real estate to a gross value of £7890, which is equivalent to £483,200/A$5999,800 at a 2019 RPI/CPI calculation and personal property to the value of £5597 equivalent to £342,800/A$425,600 at a 2019 RPI/CPI calculation. Since he had no immediate family, this was left to relatives, friends and organisations. Whilst the final paragraph appears to be part of the will article, its significance is unknown. Right: CW Crompton's will published on 28 September 1929

The Argus carries a notification of Letters of Administration for the estate of Charles Walter CROMPTON dated 13 May 1927. The reason for the delay of one year is unknown. However this is Caleb's Charles Walter as the address is correct and Madeline Laura PHILPOTT is a relative, being the daughter of Caroline Laura SALE née CROMPTON and Frederick SALE and sister of Frederick John Crompton SALE. Right: Argus 21 March 1938 page 13

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Above: Elizabeth Crompton's death record (Vic BMD 10723/1925)

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Boroondara General Cemetery

The final resting place of Charles Walter and his wife Elizabeth in the Methodist section of Boroondara General Cemetery, Kew, Melbourne, 3101. Grave number METH D 0245A Source and photographs: Dr James CROMPTON 2010

Dominating the cemetery landscape near the Rotunda is a stand of three trees: a Canary Island Pines (Pinus canariensis), a Bunya Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii) and a Weeping Elm (Ulmus glabra 'Camperdownii') Amongst the planting are the notable conifers: a towering Bunya Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii), a Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), a rare Golden Funeral Cypress (Chamaecyparis funebris 'Aurea'), two large Funeral Cypress (Chamaecyparis funebris), and the only known Queensland Kauri (Agathis robusta) in a Victoria cemetery.

One of these trees is shadowing Charles Walter's grave. Boroondara General Cemetery, often referred to as Kew cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Victoria. The cemetery has had 75,000 burials since 1859. Among these are some very prominent Melburnians. When the 12.5 hectares of land was originally set aside for a cemetery it was densely covered with large red gums and wattles. At the time it was intended only for the residents of Boroondara (Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell) however it was not long before burial lots were made available to residents from all over Melbourne.

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Boroondara Cemetery, established in 1858, is within an unusual triangular reserve bounded by High Street, Park Hill Road and Victoria Park, Kew. The caretaker's lodge and administrative office (1860 designed by Charles Vickers, additions, 1866-1899 by Albert Purchas) form a picturesque two-storey brick structure with a slate roof and clock tower. A rotunda or shelter (1890, Albert Purchas) is located in the centre of the cemetery: this has an octagonal hipped roof with fish scale slates and a decorative brick base with a tessellated floor and timber seating. The cemetery is surrounded by a 2.7 metre high ornamental red brick wall (1895-96, Albert Purchas) with some sections of vertical iron palisades between brick pillars.

Above: An aerial view of Boroondara General Cemetery showing the approximate location of the grave

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Above: A map locating Boroondara General Cemetery within Kew

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Quartz mining in Bendigo As a result of the amount of gold that was found, Bendigo was the richest goldfield in the world at the time and, to this day, is still ranked in the top ten goldfields worldwide. Once the alluvial gold ran out, some people wondered what they might find if they dug a little deeper. This is how the 37 “Saddle Reefs” quartz mining came to be, with a few ambitious and brave men deciding to extend their search for gold into Bendigo’s underworld. In 1853 two miners turned from looking for surface or alluvial gold and opened up a gold bearing quartz reef at Specimen Hill. It is probable that the nuggets or specimens taken from the reefs were the inspiration for the place name. The Specimen Hill United mine operated from 1860 to 1920. The early 1870s, when Charles Walter was a shareholder Newbery Indefatigable Quartz Mining Company (Limited) it was a general boom time, but not for all mines. There was a general scramble for shares that gave everyone a chance to invest. The smaller but insecure cooperative and tribute companies 1 held their own well into the eighties. 2 An example of the enthusiasm for investing to make a fortune in money rather than ore was the Hurdsfield Freehold of Ballarat. In April 1880 they discovered an amazing patch of quartz reef-wash and the company was floated. With good prospects, all 12,000 shares were taken by noon. Having paid 1s 1d (A$6.71 equivalent 2018 RPI) per share the company paid a dividend of 14s (A$86.92). The Ballarat Star commented that this was perhaps the richest golden ground yet opened out by the picks of Ballarat miners making 1880 an unforgettable year 3. Between April and September 1880, the number of Ballarat companies doubled from 71 to 143. Business at The Corner was brisk especially from working miners who were numerous amongst the shareholders. 4 Under the No Liability Act, which did so much to encourage mining, risk taking became gambling at the Melbourne and Ballarat stock exchanges. The majority of investors were brokers and their clients who gambled and suffered the share-price fluctuations just a gold prices fluctuated. The spread of rumours of unproven great strikes encouraged investment. The quartz mining companies had a particular need to keep raising capital, partly because of the geological peculiarities of quartz reefs. It appears to have been common for a No Liability Mining Company to divide its capital into a shares issue to raise money. In a No Liability Mining Company, shareholders pay an initial small part of the nominal value of their shares to pay for investigating in a new mine as a start-up fund. To fund further developments, mines made repeated calls 5 on shareholders to provide further capital when funds were required to develop the mine and eventually the operation of the mine, if it appears to be worth going further. However, companies often found considerable difficulty in getting shareholders to pay up when calls were made, particularly if immediate prospects for returns on the new capital did not seem good. 6 Existing shareholder were given the option to buy new shares. For those shareholders who did not take up the calls their share option was sold. Today, a call gives a shareholder the option to buy or not to buy shares at a specified price and gives them the option to sell, a bit like a modern rights issue or placing. 7 Right: A negative shot of Specimen Hill Bendigo in 1957

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Right: Map locating Specimen Hill Bendigo More than 5,000 registered gold mines were formed within the area. At least 140 shafts exceeded 300 metres in depth, 67 exceeded 600 metres and eleven were over 1,000 metres deep. The Bendigo goldfield represents the largest concentration of deep shafts anywhere in the world. End notes A gold miner who works a small claim on tribute: to work on the plan of paying or receiving certain proportions of the produce on his holding to the original Adventurers or owners, for the liberty granted of enjoying the Mine, or a part thereof, called a Pitch, for a limited time. Oxford English Dictionary Bates, Weston, Lucky City - The first Generation at Ballarat: 1851-1901, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, 2003, p.200 ibid p.197 ibid p.193 Calls raise more money for the company. On top of the initial investment, further instalments, known as calls, were made to fund the development and eventual operation of the mine if it appears to be worth going further. Today, a call gives a shareholder the option to buy shares at a specified price and gives them the option to sell, a bit like a modern rights issue or placing. Today, a call gives a shareholder the option to buy shares at a specified price and gives them the option to sell, a bit like a modern rights issue or placing. Existing shareholder were given the option to buy new shares. Today there is an option allowing the shareholder not to buy. Waugh JC, Key Documents in the History of Australian Corporate Law, No liability companies in Victoria, Australian Mining and Petroleum Law Association Yearbook (Accessed: 01 July 2020) Paul Burdett, Libertas Finance

This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass			Version A12 Updated 09 June 2023