1888 The Citizens of Preston
	One of Melbourne's earliest significant histories was "Victoria and Its Metropolis - Past and Present".   The book, of around 780 pages, covered the development of Melbourne and what were thought of as suburbs, with an additional section devoted to "outlying districts", which included Preston ...

Around 100 of the pages were devoted to pen-pictures of Melbourne's leading citizens, establishments and businesses. Given the style of the entries and the widely varying length, it seems likely that the people completed some sort of questionnaire (it's hard to imagine the author interviewing well over 1,000 separate individuals).

Supporting this theory is the omission of a few people known to be prominent in the Preston area - for example, William Paterson, J. P. who opened the district's first bacon and ham curing factory in 1862 and had by 1888 been a local councillor for 17 years including several as Shire President.  There is considerable similarity between the entry for John Clinch with an interview he gave the Preston Leader when he retired from public office in 1904

Manufacturers, Artisans, &c.

Barry Bros., Preston. This firm of tanners consists of Messrs. Michael and John Barry, who were born in Tipperary, Ireland, and came to Victoria in 1878, from Dublin, where they had carried on their trade of tanners. They started that business on their present site, Mary-street, Preston, where they tan every kind of leather, and now employ eleven hands.       Index      Home

Braithwaite, William, Preston, came to Victoria when ten years of age, with his parents, in 1863. His present tannery and curriery business was started by his father in 1867, and was taken over by him on the latter's death in 1874. At that time about ten hands were employed, and the business was confined to making kip-leather, and a small quantity of crop. At present Mr. Braithwaite makes crop, kip, satin, split, harness, and Levant leathers, putting through about 150 hides per week, and employing from sixteen to twenty hands. The business is confined to supplying factories and wholesale houses.       Index      Home

Broadhurst, Thomas, Preston, was born in this colony, and, in his youth, was at the diggings for a time. When sixteen years of age he entered Mr. Braithwaite's tannery, where he served his apprenticeship, and afterwards worked in various other tanneries. In i88o he started in his present premises, in partnership with Mr. James Thomas Hall, and for the first six months employed no labour. They then put out about fifteen hides each week. In January, 1887, he took over the premises, the Jika Tannery, on his own account, and now employs between fifteen and twenty hands, and does 100, hides per week. His business is confined to supplying manufacturers.       Index      Home

Doolan, William, Charles, and Baldwin, Preston. This firm trades as Doolan Bros.: blacksmiths and wheelwrights. They are all natives of Victoria, having been born in Flinders-lane, Melbourne. They went to Preston with their parents in 1845, and settled down on the Plenty-road, where they commenced the business of blacksmiths, &c., which they still carry on. They also own 43 acres of land in a rising part of Preston.       Index      Home

Emery, Michael, Preston, landed in Victoria in 1852, having been previously connected with pottery in the old country all his life. He has been established at his present site, St. John's Pottery, for the last thirty-five years. For the first three years he employed no labour, but as business increased he had first one hand, then sent home for three more, and at present an average of seven men are engaged. His business is confined to making flower pots, from two up to eighteen inches, for wholesale firms and nursery gardeners only; Pots of all sizes, to the extent of 300,000 a year, are turned out. In 1886, Bunning and Son, nurserymen, alone used 86,000 pots from the works.   Mr. Emery was for nine years a member of the Jika (now called Preston) Shire Council.       Index      Home

Hardenack, Paul, Preston, came to Victoria from Germany, in 1872, and for seven years worked as journeyman at Michaelis, Hallenstein and Co.'s and other tanneries. He started business on the present site as tanner and currier in 1879, and employed no labour for the first six months, putting through only about 50 calfskins a week. At present he employs twenty hands, and turns out thirty dozen calf skins and between 8o and 100 hides per week. His business is principally in calf and kip leather, which is supplied to manufacturers only. The business is still on the increase, and machinery, with all the latest improvements, has been erected, including a Mullaneer fleshing machine, which is capable of turning out as much work as three or four men. Previous to coming to the colony he was employed in various large tanneries in Germany. His place of business is on the Plenty-road, and is known as the South Preston Tannery.       Index      Home

Harris, F. A, Gowerville, South Preston, was born in Flinders Street, Melbourne. After leaving school, he started with his father as general dealer in produce, and remained at that avocation till 1872, in which year he started pottery works at Clifton Hill, employing at the time about seven hands. He was awarded the bronze medal and certificate at the Melbourne and Philadelphia Exhibition in 1875, for general excellence in pottery ware. In 1878 he moved from Clifton Hill to the present steam works, where he now employs 100 hands, and makes plain and fancy flower, chimney, and fern pots, fire bricks, tiles of all descriptions, agricultural and drain pipes, pressed white bricks and red bricks, to the number of 200,000 per week.       Index      Home

Lambert, James, Preston, came to Victoria in 1852, having had four years experience in his grandfather's tannery in London.   After arriving in this colony was at various goldfields until 1853, when he resumed his apprenticeship with Mr.. Thomas Lambert.   He afterwards worked as journeyman at his trade for seven years, in New South Wales and on the Murray River, and was then manager for Mr. Thomas Lambert for eight years. In 1880 he started business on his present site - the Gowerville tannery - employing then only one hand, and putting through twenty hides per week. He has now an average of nine hands at work, and about eighty hides per week go through. He makes kip, calf, and kangaroo leather only, and does his business entirely through factors.       Index      Home

Madsen, William, South Preston, came to Victoria in 1878, worked as a journeyman tanner for about four years, and in 1882 started on his own account, on the present site - the High-street tannery - employing three hands, and putting out about 100 calf skins per week. At present he puts out about seventy hides and sixteen dozen calf skins weekly, and employs on an average eighteen hands. His business is confined to making calf and kip leather, which is supplied to manufacturers. The premises have been enlarged from time to time, and fitted with all the latest machinery.       Index      Home

Walker, Frederick, Preston, came to Victoria in 1853, and was connected with the building trade until 1870, when, in conjunction with his brother, from Sydney, N.S.W., he started the Preston Glue and Oil Manufacturing Works, employing then about four hands. He has now from ten to twelve hands regularly at work, his being, of its kind, one of the largest factories in the colony. He confines his business mainly to the manufacture of glue. Mr. Walker obtained the silver medal for glue manufactured in the colonies at the Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition of 1872-73, and has gained the highest orders of merit at the following exhibitions :-Melbourne and Sydney, 1874-75, Sydney International, 1879-80; Adelaide International, 1861 ; Melbourne International, 1880-81 ; and New Zealand International, 1882. Mr. Walker's grandfather was one of the oldest in the trade in the world, having established his business in London in 175o, and Mr. Walker's brother started similar works in New South Wales in 1850.       Index      Home

Builders, Timber Merchants, &c.

Hurlstone, A. C., South Preston, is a native of Victoria, born in i86o, who served his apprenticeship to the pottery business, but who, after leaving that became a carpenter, and worked in that capacity for three years. He then entered into a partnership, which was dissolved in 1886, and he now carries on a general contracting business on his own account. He built Dr. Wilkinson's Presbyterian Church at Bundoora, and a number of dwellings in Preston and other suburbs.       Index      Home

Jones, James, South Preston, is a native of London, who came to Victoria in 1852, and, with a shipmate named Budden, was the first to erect a tent at Canvas Town (Emerald Hill). After being at the diggings for two years, he returned to Melbourne and engaged in contracting. On his return to Victoria from New Zealand, where he was engaged in mining and contracting for two years, he purchased 5 1/2 acres of land in South Preston in 1862. He has also 4 3/4 acres in North Preston, laid out as an orchard and flower-garden and let to his son. Mr. Jones retired from active business about three years ago, and resides in Raglan-street. He has a family of three daughters and five sons.       Index      Home

Marshall Bros., Preston. This firm of builders and contractors consists of George Henry and James Doiley Marshall. Mr. G. H. Marshall was born in England, and came to Victoria in 1856. They served their apprenticeships with their father, who arrived in the colony in 1852, went to the diggings for two years, and afterwards lived in Preston for thirty-one years. Mr. James Doiley Marshall is a native of Preston, Victoria. In 1885 the present partnership was formed, when they succeeded to their father's business. They are now doing a general contracting and building trade, and have built villas, &c., in and about Williamstown, Epping, Diamond Creek, Thornbury Park, Preston, Northcote, and elsewhere.       Index      Home

Smith, Thomas, South Preston, was born in Herefordshire, England, in 1823, and learned the trade of mason at Hampton Court, Herefordshire, where he remained nine years. He afterwards worked at the Parliament Houses, London, the Hull (Yorkshire) railway station, the Birmingham Lunatic Asylum, and from thence went to Stoke-upon-Trent.  

He shipped as carpenter's mate in the J. S. Ford, and came to Victoria in 1849 with £15 in his pocket and the promise of work at his trade building the Melbourne Gaol at Pentridge. He later worked at Geelong and in 1850 came back to Melbourne and worked at various places at his trade till the diggings broke out in 1851 where he was modestly successful.   He then gave up digging, returned to Melbourne, and became foreman for Mr. Linacre for a year or two, and from him foreman for Lawrence and Cain, during which time he was at the buildings of the Bank of Victoria, Australian Alliance Insurance Company, and the Town Hall; also, the Melbourne Banking Company. While there he had the misfortune to lose the sight of his left eye.  

He then became inspector of works for the Government, and continued as such till two years ago, when he retired on a pension. During his term of office he supervised the erection of the Post and Telegraph Office at Sandhurst, the Melbourne Public Library, Government House, Parliament Houses, New Law Courts, &c. In 1855 lie bought twenty acres of land at Preston, and has resided on it ever since. The land has now turned out to be very valuable. He owns town property as well. Mr. Smith was one of the founders of the eight-hours movement, and was chairman of the first committee that ever sat to consider the question.     Index      Home

Story, James William, Preston, is a native of this colony, born in Prahran in 1856. He was apprenticed to Mr. Law Oldfield as carpenter, etc , and remained with him until 1878, when he started a business as contractor and builder, and carried it on until 1886. He then commenced his present business of timber merchant, at the High-street Timber Yard, Preston, employing at that time only three hands. At present he employs from twenty to twenty-five hands, and has greatly increased his premises. His business is strictly confined to the timber trade, and he keeps a large stock of every description of builders' material constantly on hand.     Index      Home

Story, George. R., South Preston, is a native of the colony, born in Prahran in 1862. He served his apprenticeship as a carpenter with Messrs. Oldfield and Lindley, and in 1882 started business on his own account as a general contractor and builder. He has done work in many parts of the colony, notably at Sale and Bairnsdale in Gippsland, and at Casterton in the Western District. He built the Wesleyan Church at Dandenong, the post office at South Preston, and a large number of houses, villas, etc., in Preston, Clifton Hill, CarIton, Fitzroy, South Yarra, Northcote, and other places.     Index      Home

Tyler, Richard, Preston, was born at Brighton, in Sussex, England, and landed in Victoria in January 1850, with his parents, his father, the late Mr. James Tyler, being the first Englishman to settle in Irishtown, now Preston.     

The latter gentleman bought thirty acres of land at £4 per acre from Mr. Armstrong, some of which has recently realized £50 per acre.   He was one of the first to buy land and cut it up into building allotments, purchasing eight acres and disposing of it in this manner ; and he was the first builder who erected a substantial house in the district, that house the one in which Mr. R. Tyler now lives.

Mr. James Tyler, Mr. E. Wood, Mr. Stephen Vincent, Mr. Stephen Chandler, Mr. Emery, and. Mr. John Clinch met one night at Mr Wood's house, and formally proposed, seconded, and carried a resolution that the name of the place should be changed from lrishtown to Preston, and thenceforward it has been known by the latter name. Preston at that time was a dense bush, and it was with extreme difficulty that bullock teams were able to make the journey to or from Melbourne, being frequently mired for days in what were called the glue pots, i.e., swamp holes with bottoms of tenacious clay. Mr. J. Tyler was a member of the first local Road Board for many years. Mr. Richard Tyler, the present occupier of the property, succeeded his father in the building business, which he still carries on.     Index      Home

Walkenden Bros., South Preston. are sons of Mr. Henry Walkenden, one of the pioneers of the brick making industry in Victoria. They are both natives of the colony, and have been connected with brick making all their lives. They started their present brick-yard in 1884, employing about six hands and turning out about 20,000 bricks weekly. They now employ sixteen hands, and make about 50,000 a week. They have three kilns and eleven drying-sheds. All their bricks are hand made.    Index      Home

West, George, Preston, was born on the estate of the Hon. Benjamin Disraeli (the late Earl Beaconsfield), at Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, and came out to Victoria, and commenced business as a builder and contractor. He now resides in Preston, where he has acquired several properties in and about the township, including one block of seventy acres. He still carries on his business, which has proved very lucrative, during the last few years especially.     Index      Home

Providers and Distributors

Allingham, John J., Preston, was born on 4th April 1865, on his father's farm on the Darebin Creek.   On his father's death, 28th June 1879, Mr. J. J. Allingham came into possession of the property, but did not canyon the farm until four years later, being in the interim engaged in work at other places.   He has ten acres of land worth £2000 and is engaged in general farming and dealing. He was married in 1885 to Aliss Wade, of Collingwood, and has two children.     Index      Home

Barry, Isaac, South Preston, is a native of Wiltshire, England, who landed in Victoria in 1840, and was employed at station work for three years. He then leased a large area of land for cultivation and dairy purposes, and in 1853 purchased fifteen acres at the intersection of Bell-street and the Epping road, Preston.   The projected Whittlesea railway has four acres of this valuable property surveyed. Mr. Berry has been a resident of South Preston for thirty nine years, and having retired from active life, is now living privately.   He has a family of four sons.     Index      Home

Block, Andrew, Preston, was born in Armagh, Ireland, in 18?4, and came to the colony in 134T, when he commenced farming, in which industry he has since been almost continuously engaged He, however, was at the Castlemaine goldfields, where he was very fortunate during his six weeks' stay; and at Beechworth, in 1856, he and his nephew discovered the once famous Buckland diggings, near the Snowy Mountains. For four years he drove a team between Melbourne and Castlemaine, at the rate of £to per ton ; after which he returned to his farm at Gowerville, and has been there ever since.

Clinch, John Charles, J.P., Preston, was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, and arrived in Victoria per ship Aperima, in l849.  

His first employment was as gardener on a station on the Campaspe, at £30 per annum, and double rations. Three months later, sickness compelled him to return to Melbourne, where shortly after he was appointed propagator in the Botanical Gardens at a guinea a week.  When the gold fever broke out all the gardeners there gave notice, and left in a body.   He went to Ballarat without success ; then tried Castlemaine, and was one of the first diggers at Barker's Creek, where he made £150 in a very short time.

He returned to Melbourne, and speculated £100 in a block of land in Brunswick-street, Collingwood (then called Newtown).   He joined in an expedition to Bendigo, and was very successful there ; but this was marred by finding, on his return to town, that his wife had been dead and buried a week.   Mr. Clinch then purchased horses and carts, and commenced carting to the diggings, but prices fell, and it was a losing speculation.   In 1852 he bought two acres of land in High-street, Preston (where he now resides), at £42 10s. per acre, and took over the crop also at a valuation of £40 an acre. He now owns seven acres in the heart of Preston. He paid a carpenter £r a day to erect his present residence, and £5 to grain a single door.

Messrs. Wood, Clinch, Vincent, Emery, Tyler, and Chandler were instrumental in changing the name Irishtown, as it was then called, to Preston, a meeting being held in Mr Wood's parlour one evening, when it was finally proposed by Mr.. Wood, and seconded by Mr. Clinch, that the name be henceforth called Preston. In 1853 a few residents met at Duff's Old Pilgrim's Hotel, to petition the Government to proclaim the Plenty-road and the Preston-road government roads, which was accomplished shortly after. In 1854, Government was again petitioned to proclaim Preston and Epping a road board.

Mr. Clinch was a member of the Preston division for several years, and was also the first Preston candidate who was president of Jika Jika shire, being elected president for 1876, 1877, and 1880 and was sworn in a magistrate, before judge Molesworth. In October 1876, Mr. Clinch was the prime mover ill securing ground for recreation purposes, but not without a deal of fighting; however, nine acres were purchased at £20 an acre, and they are now worth at least £300 an acre.     Index      Home

Ellison. John Thomas, Preston, was born in Lancashire, England, and arrived at Melbourne in 1859. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to chair making. After serving five years, he decided, on account of the keen competition from Chinamen, to seek something better, and accordingly signed papers as an improver to the trade of carpenter and joiner, and after three years obtained full journeyman's wages - the first since he came to the colony.   He formed a partnership with a Mr. Bennett, as builders and contractors, which lasted twelve months. His wife died about this time, and, being left in very comfortable circumstances, he purchased a splendid property of seven acres at Preston, where he now resides, devoting his time to the cultivation of roses, a branch of horticulture in which he has been very successful, having obtained over 100 prizes at various exhibitions, including the International one of l880-1881. Mr. Ellison has been a member of the shire council for the past eleven years, during which he has occupied the presidential chair, and is on the library committee. He also takes a keen interest in all local matters.     Index      Home

Farrell, Thomas, Preston (deceased), was one of the early pioneers of the district in which he dwelt.    Arriving in Australia in 1841, he took charge of Howard's farm at Preston, and remained there for two or three years.   He purchased 150 acres, and afterwards added to it 100 acres adjoining (Darebin Vale), where he carried on farming and dairying until his death, in 1883, at the age of sixty-six years.  

Foley, Patrick, Gowerville, was born in 1817, in Ireland, where his parents were farming, and he learned that occupation with them.  

He came to Victoria in the ship Waverley in 1852 ; was labouring here some years, but in 1862, he bought the land at Gowerville, where he now resides, and settled down as a farmer. He gave £20 an acre for seven acres, which is now valued at £100 per acre. Was without money on arriving in the colony, but is now worth £1500.   He married a Miss Ella Woods, a native of Ireland, and has five children.     Index      Home

Gough, Philip, Preston East, was born in Ireland, and came to Victoria in 1854, when he was first engaged as a farm hand. Afterwards he rented 100 acres of land near Heidelberg, and used it for potato growing and dairy farming, and then went to the Preston district, where he rents 480 acres, used chiefly for dairy purposes.   Mr. Gough milks 100 cows, and sends two supplies of milk to Melbourne in the day.     Index      Home

Hurlstone, Alfred J., South Preston, is a native of Melbourne, born in 1857.   He first worked for his father, milling, at Janefield, and was afterwards farming at Bundoora for five years.   He started in business as a hay and corn dealer in the Plenty-road, South Preston, in partnership with his brothers; they are carrying on a large trade there at the present time, doing a turnover of £900 a month.   They keep four horses, two carts, and a lorry running, three hands employed, and have a chaff-cutter, corn crusher, arid circular saw, all worked by steam power.   Mr. Hurlstone was married in 1885 to Miss Mary McFarlane.     Index      Home

Jeffrey, Samuel, Preston. This gentleman is one of the first settlers and is the oldest inhabitant of the district.    He is a native of Tyrone, Ireland, and was born in 1805.   He sailed from Plymouth on the 8th January I840, and after a voyage of over six months arrived at Melbourne in July I840.   For some time after his arrival he was overseer for Captain John Harrison, whose station occupied the site where the Yan Yean reservoir now is and the surrounding country.   In 1841 he bought 40 acres of land at Preston (then Irishtown), where he has resided ever since, and subsequently purchased 40 acres more adjoining his first purchase, as well as other land in various places in the colony.

He was married in 1835, and has a family of six sons and one daughter. He gave the land for the first church erected in the district north of Melbourne, and has always taken a leading part in anything connected with it ever since.    When he first settled at Preston there was not a house between that place and the Parliament House, and not a road of any kind between it and Melbourne.     Index      Home

Krieger, Edward, North Preston, is a native of Germany, and came to the colony in 1860 with his parents, who leased land in Epping-road, North Preston, from Mr. J. Campbell, the owner of all the land between Preston and Campbellfield (named after him), and on it started dairying. On his father's death Mr. Krieger took up the property, which consists 0f 320 acres. He keeps 10 horses, 4 carts, and 40 cows, doing a daily output of 100 quarts of milk. He married Miss Kirtsen, of Thomastown, in 1877, and has seven children.     Index      Home

Lane, Henry, East Preston, is a native of Middlesex, England, and landed in Victoria in 1855.   He was employed by the Gas Company for four years taking contracts, and laying twenty-five miles of mains in Melbourne, and he also laid the mains in Sandhurst. In 1856 he purchased 11 acres of land in East Preston, and in I864, 17 acres more in the same district    Mr. Lane has taken several prizes for swine and poultry at the various agricultural shows.   In 1883 he erected two houses at Northcote, and bought two allotments in Wilton Park. Mr. Lane is a director of the Queenscliff Gas Company. He is married, and has a family of five sons and five daughters.     Index      Home

Leary, George, South Preston, is a native of Cork, Ireland. He landed in Launceston, Tasmania, in 1832, and was apprenticed to Messrs. Henry and Co. as a mariner, and followed that calling for thirteen years.  He arrived in Victoria for the first time in 1838, and finally settled here.   He has followed various avocations in the colony, having been for five years carting and mining, then slaughtering at Footscray, after which he kept a butcher's shop in Williamstown for twelve years.     Index      Home

At length he took the Gowerville Hotel, South Preston, which he has conducted for the last twelve years successfully.  Mr. Leary is married, and has a family of three sons and five daughters.

Livesey, John, South Preston, is a native of Bradford, Yorkshire, England.   He landed in Victoria in 1857, and went gold mining for a short period, and then engaged as a sawyer at the Carron Timberyard, where he remained twenty years.   He purchased land, and was occupied as a builder in different places, until in 1875 he finally settled in Newcastle-street, Preston, on 6 acres of land utilised as a garden and for grazing.   Mr. Livesey retired from business twelve years ago.     Index      Home

Lynch, Michael, Gowerville, was born in county Clare, Ireland, and came out to Victoria in the ship Sir Charles Forbes, landing on the Sandridge beach 25th January 1841.   He first engaged with Mr. Rucker, with whom he farmed three years.   In 1852 he started carting on his own account, and was fairly successful, and going to the diggings with four companions had such success that in nine days the party made £200 per man.       Index      Home

On his return to Melbourne he resumed carting, and carried it on for five years. He next bought a farm above the Barrabool hills, near Geelong, which he worked for four years, and then, selling out, purchased 45 acres of first-class land, which he now farms at Gowerville.     Index      Home

McNamara, John, Preston, was born at Collingwood, in 1859. He first worked in an oilcloth factory at Northcote, for eighteen months, and was next at a bakery for three years, baking and carting. In 1879 he started in business as a baker in the Plenty road, where he still continues to do a thriving trade.   Mr. M'Namara was married in 1881, and has four children.     Index      Home

Olver, William C., Preston, was born in 1854 in this district, where his parents were farming, and worked on their farm until 1881.   He then started business for himself, in leasehold premises, in High-street, as a grocer, hay and corn, and wood and coal dealer. The turnover is now about £350 a month.   He always keeps £150 worth of stock on hand, and is doing one of the largest trades in that line in Preston.   He married Miss A. E. Coe, of Preston, and has two children.     Index      Home

Olver, William, North Preston, was born in Cornwall, England, in 1826, and came to Victoria in 1849. He went to Forest Creek diggings, and made £1000 in two years. He bought 20 acres of ground at Preston, known as the Newlands estate, for £500, and sold it for £1500.   In 1887 he bought land in Regent-street, where he resides, at £1 per foot, which is now worth £5 per foot.   Mr. Olver was married in 1849 to Miss Lobb, and has a family of six children.     Index      Home

Phelan, James Robert, Preston, was born at Ballyragget, county Kilkenny, Ireland, and came to the colony in July 1851.   He first went to the Forest Creek rush, but as his reward for five weeks' digging was no more than five pennyweights of gold, he gave up mining and walked back to Melbourne, occupying eight days in the journey.   Becoming caterer to the Richmond police dep6t, he retained that position for fourteen years. He then went to Preston, and purchased the Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle Hotel, with 12 acres of land, on the Plenty-road, about seven miles from Melbourne, where he resides, being the oldest hotel-keeper on that road.     Index      Home

Sawyer, Augustus, Preston, was born in London in 1821, and followed gardening until he came to the colony in 1853 by the Baltimore, of Amsterdam. He started working in Victoria on the Keilor-road, and after two months went to the diggings (Bendigo) but did no good there.   He then went to Preston, and bought 5 acres of land, where he now resides, and where he carried on market gardening up till three years ago, when he retired.   He has property in Nicholson-street, CarIton, and also house property in High-street, Preston.     Index      Home

SchuIz, Henry, South Preston, was born in 1836, at Hanover, Germany, and was a ship's cook for ten years before he came to Melbourne   in 1854. He kept a boarding-house in Russell-street for eleven years, and in 1869 bought his present property in Preston, consisting of 10 acres, for £300.   In 1879 he bought 7 acres at Preston for £230   He has a bacon factory worth £1400, and has carried on dairying and bacon-curing for many years, keeping 24 cows, and about 80 pigs fattening.     Index      Home

Mr. Schulz married (in 1865) Miss Catherine Horn, and has a family of seven children.   He arrived in the colony with a couple of pounds, and is now worth £45,000.     Index      Home

Short, Alexander Edward, J.P., Preston, was born in Millwall, England, and emigrated to Tasmania with his parents in 1836 in the ill-fated ship Stirling Castle.   He came to Victoria in 1840, and was for some years manager for his father, who built and owned several vessels trading between Victoria and Tasmania.   In August 1851 he went to the Anderson's Creek diggings, but met with little success, and returned to Melbourne, where he made up a party to go to Golden Point. There they worked together six weeks for three quarters of an ounce of gold each, which it cost each £9 to procure. He next formed another company for Forest Creek, where they each obtained 18 ozs. of gold, and again tried Forest Creek and got 13 ozs.    Index      Home

He then, with his father, purchased the brig Dorset, and sailed for Hobartown, but on the return voyage, with forty passengers and eight horses, besides cargo, were wrecked on Kent's Group in Banks' Straits ; were on an island six weeks, very short of provisions, and were saved by the cutter Apollo and taken back to Hobartown.   After that he was at Bendigo and Moonlight Flat, where he assisted in putting down the second hole that was bottomed at Fever Point, securing over 700oz of gold.   He was married in Tasmania to Miss Alien, daughter of Mr. John Allen, of Hobartown, and went into partnership with Mr. Bucirde in the lightering business for a short time.   

He then commenced building in North Melbourne, and did very well.   He afterwards entered the North Melbourne, Hotel, sold out, and purchased the schooner Emily Alison, and traded to the various colonies, then sold her to Piggot Bros., and took the Ayrshire Hotel, Chetwynd-street, North Melbourne (Hotham), and remained there until the expiry of the lease.   He next took the Ship Inn in Flinders-lane, and lost £1000 in twelve months, and afterwards kept the Union Hotel, Spencer-street, which was built by his father.   He had, however, to leave on account of ill health, and after an interval of some months took the Inverness Hotel, West Melbourne.

Again he sold out, and built Short's Hotel, Spencer-street, where he stayed seven years, and then removed to Preston to reside on the land bought by his father forty years ago from Major Webb for £300. Mr. Short now lives on the Plenty-road. He has been a member of the shire council for several years, during which time he has occupied the presidential chair, was appointed a justice of the peace for the central bailiwick nine years since, and was unanimously elected chairman of the bench three times.     Index      Home

Sullivan, Eugene, Gowerville, a native of Ireland, came to Victoria in 1858, and worked as a farm hand for a few years. Then going to Gowerville, he purchased 5 acres of land, now increased to 38 acres, on which he devotes his attention chiefly to hay-growing.     Index      Home

Wilson, John, South Preston, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1816, and arrived in Melbourne in December 1840.   He joined the pilot service at Queenscliff, and remained there two years, being in the first pilot boat in the colony, after which he went to Sydney in the Ranger, the first Government vessel that belonged to Melbourne, but returned, and again entered the pilot service.   He was next assistant-lighthouse keeper, and in 1853 went to the diggings for nine months, and was fairly successful.   He then embarked in the carting business until 1855, when he went to Preston and purchased 5 acres of land at Oakover-road, which he has increased to 20 acres on which he now resides, having retired from the active pursuits of his business.     Index      Home

Wood, Edward, J.P., Preston, was born in Sussex, England, in 1804. He arrived in Victoria in 1880 by the ship Harpley, and went to Irishtown (now Preston) the same year, and bought 10 acres of land where the post-office now stands at £10 an acre.   In 1851, he went to the diggings and being fairly successful returned to Irishtown, at which time he was the prime mover in getting the name of the place changed to Preston after a small village in England where some of the early settlers came from.     

Mr. Wood was a member of the Epping Road Board in 1869, and was afterwards appointed a Justice of the Peace for the central bailiwick, which position he still holds, having retired from the active pursuit of business. Young, James, South Preston, is a native of Haston Round, Oxfordshire, England, who landed in Victoria in 1848, and after working as a labourer for four years, was carrying for twelve years to Bendigo, freight being in 1853 as high as £150 per ton. He was gold mining for a few years, and was on one occasion struck up by seven bushrangers, and robbed by them of 112 ozs. of gold. Mr. Young purchased 8 acres of land on the Darebin Creek, and has been a resident of Preston for many years. He now carries on business there as greengrocer and farmer in Bell-street, and his a family of five sons and five daughters.     Index      Home

Young, James, South Preston, is a native of Haston Round, Oxfordshire, England, who landed in Victoria in 1848, and after working as a labourer for four years, was carrying for twelve years to Bendigo, freight being in 1853 as high as £150 per ton. He was gold mining for a few years, and was on one occasion stuck up by seven bushrangers, and robbed by them of 112 ozs. of gold.   Mr. Young purchased 8 acres of land on the Darebin Creek, and has been a resident of Preston for many years. He now carries on business there as greengrocer and farmer in Bell-street, and his a family of five sons and five daughters.       Index      Home

Supplementary Memoirs