Land Purchases of
Mc Cord, Jackson, Dunn and Callaghan

By Ray Gibb.

Mc Cord, Jackson, Dunn and Callaghan bought the land between William Smith's purchase and the area partitioned to Philip Holland. They bought their land on the same day as Smith (4-2-1848) and luckily, their purchases were recorded in the E.J.Brewster index.

James McCord's 35 acres went 658 links south to a line indicated by the end of Roslyn St and cost him 110 pounds 5 shillings.

Samuel Jackson's 22 acres 3 roods 9 ¼ perches went south from there 383 ¼ links to the e-w part of Loch Cres. west of the Drina St corner and cost 71 pounds 15 shillings.

Thomas Dunn's 62 acres and ¼ perch (2.5 m x 2.5 m) went south 1041 ¼ links to the northern boundary of Johnston Reserve and cost him 195 pounds 6 shillings.

Henry Callaghan bought 67 acres 2 roods and 37 ¼ perches extending south to the York/Lloyd St midline, where it adjoined the land partitioned to Holland, for 237 pounds 1 shilling.

McCORD'S 35 ACRES.

McCord leased this to Thomas Clark for 70 pounds on 1-5-1849, and to Charles Payne for 100 pounds on 28-6-1850 (1 997). On 20-4-1853, a memorial entitled "releases to uses" recorded that Thomas Dunn paid McCord 5450 pounds. This obviously gave ownership to Dunn, who mortgaged the 35 acres to McCord for 2000 pounds on 17-4-1853, three days before the releases to uses was memorialised.

On 15-5-1854, the 2000 pounds having been repaid, the 35 acre lot was reconveyed to Thomas Dunn

Dunn now owned his original purchase of 62 1/640 acres plus McCord's 35 acres and five days later, on 20-5 1854, he mortgaged both to Thomas Clark for 2200 pounds.

Dunn lost both properties to Clark, who sold the part of McCord's portion of lot 3 west of Pascoe Vale Rd to Samuel Jackson on 18-3-1857. A quarter of a century later, on 8-9-1882. William Lynch signed a contract with Jackson's agent to buy 51 acres 2 roods and 15 perches for 1500 pounds. As McCord and Jackson's original purchases total 57 acres 3 roods and 9 1/4 perches, Lynch probably bought only the part of lot 3 west of Pascoe Vale Rd.

On 4-6-1856, Thomas Clark conveyed that part of McCord's original purchase east of Pascoe Vale Rd to Samuel Jackson. John Kernan, who started leasing Merai Farm (between Gaffney St and Devon Rd) from H.G.Ashurst during that year, had obviously contracted earlier to buy from Clark. Kernan directed, as an intermediate buyer, that the land be conveyed to Jackson. This land had a frontage of 625 links to the private road* and the average of the north and south boundaries was 550 links. This equates to 3.4 acres so it is probably the 3 acres 1 rood and 5 perches that Samuel Jackson's agent contracted to sell to Elizabeth Cochran (sic) for 600 pounds. This agreement was dated 23-5-1882. The land is recorded only as being in Doutta Galla and the unfortunate clerk compiling the sketch of title wrote, "Where is this?"

Elizabeth Cochrane (the spelling used on the search certificate) had become the wife of Edward Egbert Welby by the time she applied for the title, which was issued on 2-5-1884. She was probably the widow of John Cochrane, who had leased Glenroy Farm (between Rhodes Pde and Hilton St) from the Kennedys from 1853 until 1874, when it was sold to William McCulloch. (5)

In the Essendon Conservation Study, Graeme Butler states that this land was subdivided as the Byron Vale Estate, declared by A.W.Craven in 1886. Because of the 1890's depression, this subdivision fizzled, like so many others.

In 1920-1, Harry Peck of Hiawatha (top of Kilburn St) owned 5 acres on which his house stood (probably the whole south side of Kilburn St), 20 acres adjoining Lebanon (Jackson's purchase from Brewster?) and, with his brother Richard, 18 acres at the Carnarvon Rd end of this estate. As George Gibson had 5 acres and Ralph Lind a house and land (possibly 5 or 7 acres), the 20 acres had to be Jackson's purchase.

JACKSON'S 22 13/16 ACRES.

In "Broadmeadows: A Forgotten History", Andrew Lemon states that William Lynch paid Samuel Jackson 1500 pounds for 51 acres close to Pascoe Vale station on the Strathmore side, in 1882. The Broadmeadows rate book of 1879-80 shows that Joseph Nixon had just replaced Samuel Jackson as the occupant of 40 acres in Doutta Galla and Jackson himself was assessed on houses and 15 acres in Doutta Galla.

The entry for Mrs Ellen Jackson on Page 704 of Victoria and Its Metropolis shows that in 1888 Sam's widow was living on 18 ½ acres at Essendon. A gardener, Sam followed this trade for a while after his arrival before taking to farming on 52 acres of purchased land. The 52 acres (actually 51 acres 2 roods and 15 perches) seems to have been that part of McCord and Jackson's original purchases west of Pascoe Vale Rd. The details of Samuel Jackson's acquisition of the northern 658 links of lot 3 and his conveyances to Lynch and Mrs Cochrane in 1882 are given under the previous heading.

DUNN'S 62 ACRES AND ¼ PERCH (2 ½ M X 2 ½ M).

Apparently from 20-4-1853, Dunn also owned McCord's 35 acres and the last mention in the 1st series index was of Dunn mortgaging both to Thomas Clark as mentioned above. This land was lot 2 of Brewster's post partition subdivision and was to pass into the hands of Clark, Michael Brown (11-3-1856) and John Kent Pow (22-7- 1863). Pow mortgaged it to his northern neighbour, Samuel Jackson on 22-2-1865 and it was reconveyed to him on 24-7-1868. On 8-10-1870, Pow sold it to Douglas Thomas Kilburn of Essendon for 1200 pounds.

Kilburn, the grantee of much of Hugh Glass' Flemington Estate and the 163 ¾ acres across Keilor Rd from Springfield had recently bought 400 acres of section 3 Tullamarine and named it Fairfield. D.T.Kilburn died on 10-3-1871. His will of 19-11-1870 appointed his wife, Anna Maria, and Edmund Augustus Cartwright as executors. The title was issued to Anna Maria Kilburn on 4-4-1887. (Application 21915.) Andrew Lemon gives the impression (P.77) that Buzzards sold lot 2 in 1886, but surely the title would have to be issued first! Despite this discrepancy, Lemon gives a good description of the property, which consisted of 56 acres west of Pascoe Vale Rd and 6 acres on the creek side of the road. The sand was probably being extracted from the creek by Michael Fox, who continued to do so for many decades (as described in George Lloyd's "Mickleham Rd: 1920-52"), despite his acquisition of 18 C and D, Doutta Galla and "Barbiston" at Tullamarine.

Like Byron Vale, this subdivision fizzled. In 1920-1, subdivision was being tried again, obviously by Mrs Emily Lind and Ralph Lind. The Pascoe Vale Estate had frontages to Lind St, Vernon St, Hood St (demolished for the freeway C 1967) and Lincoln St (Carnarvon Rd).

CALLAGHAN'S 67 ¾ (ALMOST) ACRES.

Callaghan's land was lot 1 of Brewster's post-partition subdivision. All four lots had 1041 ¼ link western boundaries, the difference in their areas being caused by the course of the Moonee Ponds.

The 1st series index for Callaghan mentions two memorials which I presume are mortgages.

4 388. Thomas Napier paid 1000 pounds to Callaghan on 28-11-1853.

69 901. Mary McLachlin paid 700 pounds to Callaghan on 9-10-1858.

Broadmeadows' ratebook of 1863 shows that Patrick Callaghan was owner and occupier of a house and land (nett annual value L22) and was leasing a basic house to Bridget Murphy. Lawrence McLachlan (Mary's son?) was leasing a farm (N.A.V. L46) from John Kernan.

The 1920-1 ratebook reveals that the Callaghan family was still involved in the area. Mrs M and Frank Callaghan were named in connection with the Sunrise Estate (between the Essendon Hill and Terminus estates).

Sketch of Title 370 reveals that the property was also mortgaged to Thomas Napier (4 388, reconveyed 50 845). The mortgage to Mary McLachlan was transferred to John Badcock and John Guthrie (111 275), with the property then being reconveyed to Patrick Callaghan on 11-7-1863 (137 387). Three days later Patrick Callaghan conveyed the land to John Kernan (130 388)*. Broadmeadows' rate book of 1879-80 shows that James G.Brisbane was leasing 320 acres in Doutta Galla from John Kernan. Andrew Lemon's map shows that Callaghan and Holland's purchases were later owned by John Kernan; their total area is 303 ¾ acres so only 16 acres of this leased land need to be accounted for.

(* On 9-4-1864 John Kernan bought 6 acres 3 roods 3 perches in Doutta Galla and part of section 142 Jika Jika from the Callaghans (138 94).

Patrick Callaghan was Henry's son and heir. The Jika Jika land was part of the Bolingbroke Estate across the creek from the Callaghan/ Holland purchases. This explains why Kernan St and Kernan Ave are only 840 metres from each other.)

WILLIAM SMITH'S PURCHASE. (Lebanon).

The E.J.Brewster 1st and 2nd series do not refer to a memorial concerning the land extending the next 8 chains (roughly) south to Peck Ave. If Andrew Lemon was right, it was purchased by William Smith. (Luckily Doutta Galla microfiche 85 gave the title application number 13 676. The Sketch of Title under this number contained the following information. The block's western boundary started 295 links south from the north west corner of section 15 (see frontage of Sir John Franklin's purchase) and went another 709 1/4 links further south. Its northern and southern boundaries went east 41 chains and 5425 links respectively to the Moonee Moonee Ponds. On 4-2-1848, the same day that McCord, Jackson, Dunn and Callaghan bought their blocks to the south, Brewster sold this block to William Smith, a farmer of Glenroy.

The memorial recording this conveyance (G 460) was not listed in the Brewer index so luckily it appeared in this document. It revealed that William Smith paid L114/0/6. William Smith finally sold it to William Henry Fletcher, yoeman of Yan Yean, on 1-2-1872. The memorial listed for this conveyance (217 310) was consulted. The description of the land was perfectly copied from G 460, which failed to specify theblock's area. Fletcher paid 940 pounds, 8.25 times the price Smith had paid 24 years earlier.)

Andrew Lemon states that, in 1874, William Jones bought William Smith's properties, about 21 acres on the north of the creek and a similar area on the south. (P.75.) The 1879-80 Broadmeadows rate book lists William Jones as the owner and occupier of 20 acres at Pascoe Vale, but as this was in the Campbellfield riding it would have been north of the bridge. This was probably the land he bought from Mr Heron in about 1865, and on which he was harvesting 2 tons of hay per acre in 1888 (Victoria & Its Metropolis P.704). The rate collector made no mention of Jones having about 20 acres south of the creek, unless my transcription was faulty.

The owners-

William Smith

William Smith (not the man associated with Flemington and Moonee Ponds, P.697 Vic. & Its Metrop.) bought the Young Queen Inn from John Watson in December 1842. The inn, being on the most popular of the three routes to Sydney until the Broadmeadows Township bridge was built in 1854 (Lemon P.17.) This was on lot 3 of Pascoeville, consisting of 1 acre 2 roods and 5 perches, on the s/w side of the government (Pascoe Vale) road. Lot 4 was s/e of it, probably fronting the creek and lot 2 was n/w of it. The south west boundary was a lane leading from Sparke St to the Moonee Moonee Ponds (Sydney 1523). This memorial, detailing the sale of lot 3 by the hotel's builder, Edward Butler, to Watson on 29 and 31 May 1841, unfortunately gives no measurements but I think Sparke St would have been near Marks St if all blocks were about 1 ½ acres.

Fate might have decreed that Smith would never purchase his block from Brewster in 1848. He was charged with the manslaughter of his servant, Joseph Plant, in 1847 but he was acquitted. ("Between Two Creeks" Richard Broome.)

William Henry Fletcher.

It is unknown whether this was the same man after whom Fletcher St in Essendon was named. The latter was granted land including the Target store at Highpoint (Maribyrnong: Action in Tranquility), 260 acres between Maribyrnong-Ormond Rd and a line indicated by Gladstone St- stretching from Scotia St to the Moonee Ponds Creek, and south of this the 320 acre triangle bounded by Epsom and Ascot Vale Rds. Surely he would describe himself as a gentleman rather than a yoeman.

John Murray Peck.

Arriving in 1854, at the age of 21, with three other young Yanks (Freeman Cobb etc.), Peck was the "action man" who could drive huge teams of horses on the Cobb & Co line that soon opened to Castlemaine. His powerful voice and commanding presence later established him as Australia's foremost auctioneer of fat cattle. Before moving to section 15, Peck lived at "Mascoma" in Ascot Vale. (See volume 2.) His family pioneered the area in New Hampshire, U.S.A. near the Mascoma River where the town of Lebanon sprang up. Peck, his London-born wife and their son, Harry Huntinton Peck were buried at the Will Will Rook cemetery.

In the Essendon Conservation Study (Call No. 720.288099 BUT), Graeme Butler confirms some of the title information I have supplied, apart from calling William Smith "John". In his entry for "Lebanon", Butler states that Smith lost the property surrounding the house to William Fletcher via a series of mortgages in 1872. Fletcher converted the title to Torrens in 1881 and J,M.Peck bought 40 acres soon afterwards*.

John Murray Peck built Lebanon (still standing in Wendora St ) in about 1882.

*As Lebanon consisted of 34 acres, it must have included Sir John Franklin's 12 acres between Smith's land and section 23. The Broadmeadows rate book did not state that Peck was leasing the 12 acres so I can only assume that the co-founder of Cobb and Co had just squatted on it and paid the rates, as J.M.English did from 1902. (See details under "Franklin's 12 Acres".)

This land includes the Red Rooster site, where stood the illegally demolished "Cook's Homestead". This name was bestowed on the house by Pascoe Vale kids of the 1930's, such as the late Jim McKenzie and his future wife Peggy, because it was owned by Broadmeadows Shire Secretary Albert Cook. (See Kilts and Cow Dung Flats by R.Gibb.) Its name was actually Wanganui, and it was said to have been built by J.M.Peck of Lebanon. (Sam Merrifield's House Names Index P.37.) Peggy McKenzie told me that a Miss Roberts owned the Wanganui land (south to the garage site); she was probably related to J.M.Peck, whose wife, born in Bond St, London on 6-6-1840, was Louisa Ellen Roberts. (Gravestone, Will Will Rook cemetery.)

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN'S 12 ACRES.

On 15-2- 1847, Sir John Franklin bought the northern 12 acres of section 15. From Brewster memorials it has been established that the northern boundary of section 15 is indicated by the intersection of Esmale, Lebanon and Amar Sts. From this line, Franklin's land went 295 links south to the E-W section of Lebanon St (D 847). This became, with William Smith's purchase, part of John Murray Peck's "Lebanon". The total of the two, which comprised lot 4 of Brewster's post-partition subdivision, was about the 34 acres that Lebanon's owners were assessed on over the years.

There is no record of John Franklin's sale of this 12 acres. However record indicate that the land was fenced in 1882. This was probably done by John Murray Peck, who had bought William Smith's original purchase and established "Lebanon". I think Peck noticed that nobody used the land between his 22? acres and section 23, so he just started using it as if he owned it.

Neither the 1st nor 2nd series index for Sir John Franklin mentions any sale of his 12 acres. I checked the index for Archibald McLachlan and Frederick Armand Powlett, who acted as his agents at various times. I checked the index for Dame Jane Franklin. There was no mention of this part of section 15, Doutta Galla! In desperation, I returned to the ground floor and consulted Doutta Galla microfiche 85 again.

There I saw 46645s and was partly rewarded when I raced up to the 6th floor to try application 46645. The search certificate referred to Sir John's purchase of the northern 295 links of section 15 but there was no sketch of title. The search certificate referred to the land being fenced in 1882. This was probably done by John Murray Peck, who had bought William Smith's original purchase and established "Lebanon". I think Peck noticed that nobody used the land between his 22? acres and section 23, so he just started using it as if he owned it.

Broadmeadows Shire was receiving rates on his whole 34 acres so there would have been no question of his right to use Franklin's land. Indeed, in 1879-80, Hugh Peck may have been occupying Franklin and Smith's purchases when he was assessed on 34 acres; names were listed alphabetically and Peck's name appears where the name of W.H.Fletcher would be expected to be. J.M. Peck died on 19-11-1903 and he does not seem to have been listed in Broadmeadows' 1899-1900 rate book. It was probably at this time that the Pecks realised that their lack of title to the 12 acre block would be discovered. Did they just abandon it?

In 1879, John Morgan English, had bought Belle Vue ( renamed Oak Park and separated from Franklin's land only by the creek and Lebanon Reserve) after the death of Fawkner's widow, Eliza, and converted Fawkner's single storey weatherboard house into the double storey mansion still standing at the top of Oak Park Court. He leased out the farm to his relatives, the Morgans and Mrs Morgan's mother, Mary Knight but was still involved in the area, purchasing the 200 acre eastern part of section 23, which adjoined

Franklin's 12 acres. He seems to have done the same as I suspect Peck did earlier and, in 1902, just squatted on the land and paid the rates. In 1926, J.M.English applied for the title to Franklin's land.. (Application 46645, Broadmeadows Rates.)

In 1920-1, Louisa Ellen, the widow of J.M.Peck had 38 acres, which probably consisted of lot 4 (Franklin and Smith's purchases from Brewster) plus about 4 acres of subdivision lots in the Byron Vale Estate or another estate nearby.

Why didn't Franklin sell the 12 acres when the section 23 land was sold? My guess is that he and his heirs (and the titles office) forgot that this land was on a separate title to the St Johns Estate. If he'd left his land to his wife, Dame Jane Franklin, she might have been aware that the 12 acres existed. However he seems to have punished Jane for not bearing him a son. He left her only her clothes and gave the rest of his estate to a daughter from a previous marriage. This daughter had probably never been to Australia.

The confusion seems to have set in when a man named Dunn leased a 123 acre farm from Sir John. He was followed by Elizabeth Guest prior to 1862 but the 123 acre farm was still called "Dunn's Farm". As explained in bold type under section 23, Dunn's Farm must have included the 12 acres (adjoining section 23) at the northern end of section 15. This lessee could have been Thomas Dunn of section 15 or Edmund Dunn of Viewpoint in Tullamarine.

When the 123 acre Dunn's Farm was leased to Henry Mawbey for 5 years on 17-2-1862, it was wrongly described as being entirely in section 23. Significantly no boundaries of the farm were described in the memorial! (121 455).

I had intended to include a copy of Sketch of Title 46645 but the clerk's scribble is so illegible that readers would not be able to make head or tail of it. Here's what it says.

46645. John M.English.

Part allotment 15 Doutta Galla.

1080 pounds.

Claim by possession.

L.R.O. Sir John Franklin

(see D 847* set out on ??) also see 11578 from which it appears that his widow Jane Franklin is interested.

John Morgan English, the registered proprietor of abuttuing land in 9 T? Vol. 2209 Fol 441708 (records available only go to volume 999) from which the land applied for was with other land excised **thus necessitating this present application

(* D 847 records the sale of the 12 acres to Franklin by Brewster.)

(** Broadmeadows Rate books show that in 1900 Alex Robertson had just replaced dairyman, Robert G.Bryant as lessee of "200 acres Doutta Galla" owned by the Hodgson executors. It is known that this was Thomas Kelly's former eastern portion of section 23, which was roughly between the Strathaird/Menarra St corner and Lebanon Reserve.

His application states (inter alia)

That Crown Grantee was Edward Jones Brewster- But he conveyed

That he has never acknowledged ownership or been called on to do so and no rent or payment has been made by or claimed from him except rent under lease from Land Investment Coy to whom he has sold under contract of sale dated 4 Dec 1923

He occupies under Co lease-

That from 1902 or sometime prior unto: up to 26 June 1918 land was occupied by himself and his brother (probably Joseph English) for grazing purposes and since that date by himself as owner? or lessee as ###? for same purposes:

All rates paid by him or his brother till 1918 and from 1918 to 1923 by him since then by Co. ?? Coy.

Since 1902 a fence has always stood on south boundary of land on south of land applied for- red on survey plan (survey plan not enclosed) and was erected on line upon which an old fence had stood for at least 15 years prior to 1902.

19 Dec 1925 Staty Decl of Harry Huntington Peck

456830 He well knows land in survey plan ???A

(Of course the future author of "Memoirs of a Stockman" should have known the land; his father had squatted on it for about 20 years.)

He is joint owner of land abutting (on portion of south side ) of red and blue and first became acquainted with (said?) land in 1882 when such land was enclosed by fences on south, west and north west sides shown on plan and land has been enclosed by fences from 1882 (to date?) except that about 1902 a new fence was erected on south on line on which original fence stood since 1882.

SECTION 16.

This was the old Town Common. It was surrounded by Treadwell Rd, the latitude of English St (Mawbey's Lane), Mawbey Rd ( later called Lincoln Rd or St) and Keilor Rd. Mawbey Rd, shown on the eastern boundary of section 15 in sketch of title 16466 of about 1882 and still known by that name in 1942 according to Harry Peck, ran along the eastern boundary to St Johns where John Mawby was leasing land from Lady Franklin in 1863. Search Certificate 11578 of 1890 shows that Mawbey's Lane ran between section 16 and section 23 to the north.

(See section 23.)

These maps, from the sources specified above, show Mawbey's Rd and Mawbey's Rd.

The portion of section 16 east of Bulla Rd., in the Broadmeadows Road District, was sold in 1862 with W.Williams buying 8 of the 13 blocks of roughly 20 acres. His land occupied most of the area (between the N-S runway and Carnarvon-Arvon Rds) north of the freeway and south of the latitude of English St, which is the northern boundary of section 16.

SUMMERHILL.

Lot 13 (of 14 ½ acres) bounded by Bulla Rd., Woodland St. and the eastern section boundary, Lincoln Rd. (Carnarvon Rd.), went north far enough to include the Cranwell Ave. houseblocks. In 1863, Townsend Somerville, was leasing it from the grantee, R.Chance, and in 1879-80, Sommerville was rated on land with the same value as Theodore Napier's nearby 20 acre Magdala. "House Names of Essendon" calls Berrena, the "home" in 1882 of Essendon's Clerk of Courts and Electoral Registrar but this might have been the name of a building in which his office was located. Commenting on Somerville's death, the Essendon Gazette of 10-9-1891 stated that he'd lived on his Essendon property "Summerhill" for 40 years. Why was his name so seldom listed in directories for Essendon and never for Moonee Ponds (except as follows) and Ascot Vale? It is known that he spent the last two years of his life at present No. 26 Ardmillan Rd., Moonee Ponds, probably to be near a doctor. The 1888 directory for Essendon has him listed under Deep Creek Road as follows:

Mt.Alexander Rd. John Bruce (west side), Keating brick yard, Lincoln Rd., W.T.Kendall vet. Surgeon, Robert Spivey, Townsend Somerville.

There is fair evidence that lot 13 was "Summerhill". It is likely that, in 1920-1, the house and 14 acre property was owned by Edward Wood. He was possibly a son of Mary Wood who had owned the nearby Essendon Hotel* for over half a century when she died on 26-4-1906. (* the Grand presently, formerly De Marco's.) For Somerville to have lived on lot 13 since 1851, he would have had to have leased the land from a squatter such as John Foster before the town common was declared and then been allowed to continue his occupancy by Chance from 22-7-1862. Certainly this location was handy to Keilor where he, as Clerk, and Charles Shuter, as Police Magistrate, conducted the Court of Petty Sessions every Tuesday in 1868. The courthouse later became the Shire Hall.

Incidentally the bends in the streets either side of Bulla Rd. (at Kerferd St. to the west and in the middle of Dublin Ave. etc.) were caused by adiamond shape in the subdivision plan, the northern half of it covered now by the airport.

Broadmeadows Road Board/Shire extended south to Woodland St on the eastern side of Bulla Rd (until 1979). By 1863, it seems that the Franklins had bought land in section 16. As Young and Morby (sic) were wholly occupying section 23, the farm (N.A.V. 90 pounds) that James Smith was leasing from Lady Franklin had to be in section 16. Williams still had land (N.A.V. 72 pounds and leased to Alex. Kearney), J.T.Smith had the 19 ½ acres between the walking track and Carnarvon Rd, and Sommerville was leasing quite some house on the 14 ½ acres (now bisected by Wood St) owned by R.Chance.

In 1880, Thomas Kelly had land (N.A.V. 134 pounds) in the "Essendon Division". This was not the eastern part of section 23 because Robert McDougall was occupying that 200 acres (which Kelly had leased from 1871 and bought in 1875) so it had to be on section 16.

By 1900, Henry Carr had bought 44 acres on Deep Creek (Bulla) Rd. Michael Fox, a contractor of Keilor, had a small block on Essendon Hill, where he probably kept the horses and drays used to carry the sand he obtained from the Moonee Ponds Creek. Martin Delaney, also a contractor was leasing 20 acres (lot 10, i.e.Alf Pearce Park) from J.Lyons. Jane Anderson and dairyman, Alfred Smith, also had small blocks. The rate collector only seems to account for about 70 of the 230 or so acres in the Broadmeadows portion of section 16.

The 1920 rates show that John S.Kelly (of Blair & Sons, Melb.) had 199 acres, Edward Wood the 14 acres bisected by Wood St and Thomas Lyons the 20 acres including A.Pearce Park. This rate collector, with the aid of geographical instead of alphabetical listings, was able to account for all of section 16 within the shire.

The confusion in 1900 might have been caused by subdivision. First Avenue, on lots 10 and 9 (both granted to Williams), was declared a Public Highway on 27-5-1887. Second Ave, obliterated by the freeway, was obviously part of the same subdivision. Due to the 1890's depression, the subdivision probably failed and much of the land would have been vacant.

Survey and parish map.

The western part of section 16, under Keilor road board/ shire from 1863, seems to have been subdivided twice.

The 1860 survey map shows it divided into lots 1-9 and 20 south of a road leaving Bulla Rd opposite Woodland St and running (parallel to Keilor Rd) almost to Treadwell Rd. It met another road running from the Keilor/ Treadwell Rd corner to the corner of English and Bulla (Wirraway) Rds, which separated lot 23 (adjoining 17B or "Niddrie") and lot 22 which contained road metal quarries. Lot 25 takes in the area of Royal Ave and lot 24 the Orange Grove area. I presume lots 10-19 etc were to be on the east (Broadmeadows Shire) side of Bulla Rd. The Keilor Shire part of section 16 may have been sold three years later than the eastern half because the quarries on lot 22 were still required. (Perhaps until the quarry on William Dewar's Glendewar at Tullamarine could supply enough "Dewar's metal" to use on Bulla Rd. as the Keilor Roads Board had requested on 24-8-1867.)

Again in blocks of about 20 acres, continuing the "diamond inside a quadrilateral" pattern, and with Treadwell (Nomad) Rd. as its western boundary, the Keilor portion was sold to five men in 1865*. South of the freeway course, fiery and recently deposed Essendon councillor, B.J.Cooke bought the blocks fronting Keilor Rd. to about Birdwood Ave. and Dr. J.Harbinson, from Northern Ireland bought all the blocks on the northern side of Kerferd St and fronting Bulla Rd. Much of Cooke's land became the Devonshire estate where streets were named after Premiers. The next few streets west were probably named just after the Prince of Wales' visit in 1920. Officers of his ship, the Renown, planted pine trees along the river near Aberfeldie Park. Field Marshall Birdwood commanded Australian troops early in W.W.1. The land between Bulla Rd and Kerferd Rd was sold as the Royal Gardens Estate.

The land north of the freeway was bought by D.Mairs, T.G.Anderson, and Samuel Mansfield from Tullamarine.

Mansfield farmed there for many decades. Sam had blocks between Birdwood Ave. and Treadwell Rd. as well, with the farmhouse near the s.w. corner of the airport. Mairs received the grants for about 73 acres between the intersection of the two runways and (almost) Vaughan St. By 1900, Walter Aitken was leasing (possibly from John English) a total of 113 acres. This land consisted of lots 29 and 32 (north of where eastbound Calder Freeway traffic tries to merge, granted to Anderson) and 31, 33-36 (Mairs' grant). C.Aitken had been farming the same 113 acres in 1893.

The western 17 chains or 340 metres of the airport are part of "Niddrie". (See 17B.)

SECTION 23.

This was granted to corrupt magistrate and Crown Lands Commissioner, Major G.F.B.St. John in 1843. J.P.Fawkner exposed his bribe-taking and he fled home embarrassed in 1848. Lady Franklin bought the 516 acres and in 1863 leased three farms to men such as John Morby*. Later Henry Stevenson of "Niddrie" bought 300 acres called St. Johns and Robert McDougall of Arundel had 200 acres to the east. John Hall was supposed to have owned part of section 23 north of an easterly extension of Moore St as part of South Wait according to a parish map but this could not be possible. Early this century, when Gordon Connor was being taken from Moonee Ponds to his Grandma Nash's Tullamarine farm every Christmas, Cam Taylor's St. Johns was always green in summer because of Essendon's nightsoil being dumped there.

Jack Howse had South Wait, between Bulla Rd and the n/w part of section 23, on which he had a slaughteryard. On 3-8-1921, John George Taylor, probably Cam's father, sold 91 acres of St. John's to the Commonwealth Government. A 15 acre lot on section 16 was also purchased to enable sufficient length for the runway and eight days later St. John's Field opened. On 7-8-1923, it was given the official title of Essendon Aerodrome. Cameron and J.G.Taylor might have been related to G.W.Taylor, who bought many properties in the late 1880's north of section 23, in the hope that a railway to Bulla would follow Bulla Rd; in case it hugged the west bank of the Saltwater River, he also bought section 18 land.

(* This spelling was used in Broadmeadows' 1863 ratebook. Harry Peck spells it Mawby. The 1866 and 1871 Kensington directories, and title documents, spell the name Mawbey. Mawbey or Mawbey's Rd was an early name for Carnarvon Rd and was still being used in 1940 according to Harry Peck. Mawbey's Rd is shown on sketch of title 16466 of about 1882.) Mawbey's Lane separated sections 16 and 23.

TITLE INFORMATION.

Section 23 is east of Vickers Ave and north of English St with its s/e corner indicated by Lebanon Reserve. It was granted to Major George Frederick Berkley St John on 22-2-1843 and the part east of Bulla Rd consisted of 525 acres. St John's corruption, as a police Magistrate and Crown Lands Commissioner, was exposed by John Pascoe Fawkner, his neighbour north east of the creek. According to C.P.Billot in "The Life and Times of John Pascoe Fawkner", St John sued Fawkner for libel in 1848 and won the case. However the costs awarded against Fawkner amounted to peanuts and embarrassment caused St John to resign his position.

Incidentally Billot manages to spell Berkeley a bit better than the titles office clerk responsible for search certificate 11578.

Sketch of Title 11578 seems to indicate that St John made Charles Hotson Ebden a dower trustee on 25-2-1843 (B 304). On 17-12-1844, section 23 was conveyed to Sir John Franklin by Ebden, Frederick Armand Powlett (who was probably also a trustee) and St John (c 341).

On 31-3-1852, Sir John and Dame Jane leased 414 acres of section 23 to Thomas Lawson for 10 years at a rent of 100 pounds p.a. This land went east to nursery corner. On 17-3-1862, Henry Mawbey (mentioned by Harry Peck) started a 5 year lease of 123 acres commonly known as Dunn's Farm and recently occupied by Eliza Guest. As mentioned before, section 23 only consisted of 525 acres, and these two farms had a total area of 537 acres. Dunn's farm actually comprised 111 acres of section 23 plus the northernmost 12 acres of section 15.

Running from the present Arvon Rd to the Moonee Ponds Creek, this section 15 land ran 295 links south from the Lebanon/Amar St corner to the Lebanon/ Melissa St corner. Franklin bought it from E.J.Brewster on 15-2-1847 for 48 pounds. Because the block was always referred to as part of section 23, there is no sketch of title in J.M.English's application for title No.46645. When Franklin died he gave Dame Jane, who had borne him no children, only her clothes and left his estate to a daughter from a previous marriage. This 12 acre block was fenced in 1882, possibly by John Murray Peck, but was never sold by Franklin. English claimed title through long occupation.

On 16-2-1863, Thomas Henry Lawson Young agreed to lease 419 ¼ acres at 294 ¾ pounds p.a. Young obviously did not see out the lease as on 1-6-1871 Henry Mawby bought 525 acres from Dame Jane Franklin. Earlier on 28-2-1871, Mawbey had memorialised a lease in duplicate in which Thomas Kelly agreed to pay him 200 pounds p.a. for 5 years for 200 acres (poorly described but probably the land later occupied by Robert McDougall.)

On 28-6-1871, Mawbey mortgaged section 23 to Bishop Charles Perry for 2500 pounds. By 9-10-1873, Mawbey was forced to mortgage it (now 521 acres) to Tondeur and Lempriere. He was now a meat preserver at Warrnambool and Mawbey, Collins & Co. owed money to the Melbourne merchants. Mawbey conveyed the 525 acres to Lempriere for 5645 pounds on 23-7-1874 and on 23-1-1875 his mortgage was cleared. On 23-2-1875, William George Lempriere leased 310 acres 23 perches (St Johns Farm) to Thomas Kelly and mortgaged this farm and the triangular 26 acre (1 rood 20 perches) s/w corner on the other side of Bulla Rd to Joseph Henry Kay for 4000 pounds. On the same day, Thomas Kelly surrendered the lease on 200 acres (from Henry Mawby) that was memorialised on 21-2-1871. The lease had been intended to run for another year. Vol. 246 folio 901 memorialises a conveyance in fee of the next day in which Thomas Kelly paid Lempriere 5162 pounds for the eastern 206 ½ acres of section 23. On the next day (25th), Kelly mortgaged this 206 ½ acre twice to Lempriere and his partner, Andrew Murray of Wool Wool (near Larpent) for 3500 pounds (V.246 f.902) and 1074 pounds 18 shillings (V.246 f.903).

Henry Stevenson paid Lempriere L7066/17/- on 23-3-1877 for St Johns Farm (310 acres) and the 26 and a bit acres at the s/w corner of section 23.

By 1920 Cam Taylor was farming St Johns whose grass was green in the driest summer because of Essendon's nightsoil. J.G.Taylor sold part of the farm to the government for Essendon Aerodrome not long after.

Lempriere's sale of the eastern 206 ½ acres to Kelly seems to have been short-lived as, on 20-8-1880, Lempriere transferred the mortgage on this farm to John Ware from whom he received 3500 pounds.

Although no memorial has been found, Lempriere, or perhaps Kelly, seems to have sold or leased this land shortly afterwards to Robert McDougall who was assessed on "200 acres, Doutta Galla" in 1879-80.

Broadmeadows' rates of 1899-1900 show that it was owned by the Hodgson executors and had been farmed, along with Oak Park, by Robert Bryant and then Alexander Robertson who had just replaced him. (A parish map of about 1890 shows that Hodgson had 225 acres and Stevenson's "St Johns" was now only 300 acres. It wrongly had the north western 1/3 of section 23 labelled John Hall; Stevenson and Hodgson's land totalled 525 acres, exactly the acreage of the part of section 23 n/e of Bulla Rd, so Hall couldn't have had any of it. His land consisted only of 22 B and D.)

My parish map shows section 23 as 515 acres 3 roods and 29 perches. The number of acres given seems to have resulted from a draughtsman transposing the tens and units figures. Memorials consistently show that the part of section 23 east of Bulla Rd consisted of 525 acres. When the 26 acre triangle, now bounded by Nomad Rd, Wirraway Rd and the English/ Vaughan St midline, is added, the total area of section 23 is 551 acres.

The 1920-1 ratebook lists John S.Kelly as renting two houses and a total of 199 acres from Blair and Sons. Kelly could have been a descendant of Thomas Kelly who, after leasing and then buying land in section 23, was recorded in 1879-80 as the owner of land in the Essendon Division.

(1) The Melbourne Story P.220.

(2) This envisaged government road seems to be a reference to the present Pascoe Vale Rd, which was a track through paddocks to Sydney at that time; travellers made a beeline to the Young Queen Inn just north of the creek and then passed through Broadmeadows Township, i.e. Westmeadows.

(3) Essendon Conservation Study, 1847 directory, rates, "Annals of Essendon" R.W. Chalmers.

(4) The same land Eleanore Barber had in 1900. White was either leasing the land or an agent for Barber.

(5)"The Stopover That Stayed" G.Aldous, "Broadmeadows: A Forgotten History" A.Lemon.

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