Caleb moves to Victoria
Something made Caleb give up his land and move on. He simply may have wanted
to escape the island's convict stain or his farm may have failed in the general economic
depression suffered by Van Diemen's Land in the 1840s. On the other hand South Australia was
trying very hard to encourage more settlers by offering high prices for gold, which in turn
attracted settlers, for service industries, and farmers. Many former gold diggers bought
land in South Australia from their winnings.
It is therefore possible that his Spring Dale farm had failed and he emigrated to South
Australia. The family was living in or passing through Cox's Creek, Adelaide when their next
child, Charles walter, was born on 7 April 1850.
The death certificate of Charles walter
suggests that, before settling in Victoria, Caleb and family lived in New South Wales for a
period of five years.
Caleb was lured to Ballarat where gold had been discovered in 1851 and to Miners Rest.
Elizabeth emily milner's marriage certificate, of 1867, would suggest that Caleb was
attracted to the area to provide the services of publican.
Right: Miners Rest Church in 2005 |
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Caleb's death
Family hearsay always recorded that Caleb died an accidental death, falling from his horse,
suggesting a letter had reached Nafferton. Many years later this information was confirmed by the
Victorian Inquest Index for 1840-1985 and by the inquest papers:
Name: Caleb Crompton
Place: Dowling Forest
Year: 1854
Ref.: 736
Sex: M
Cause: Accident
Occupation: Adult
The inquest papers record his
cause of death as "accidental death by a fall from a horse, deceased being at the time
intoxicated". There does appear to be some testimony missing. Why wasn't he missed by Frances
and family, none of whom took part in the inquest, nor were they mentioned?
1821info1c, sheet 2
| On 29 December 1854, Caleb decided to go to the race meeting at
Dowling Forest (a small settlement just outside Ballarat), leaving home about noon, after
borrowing some money from his partner, Alexander Sangster. He was seen in the tent of Thomas
Fletcher, store keeper, the evening he died and was expected back that evening, but wasn't
missed, by Sangster, because he thought that Caleb might have gone to the race dinner in
Ballarat. His body was found on the road near the race course just after nine o'clock the
next morning. His dented hat and one horse was found in the bush nearby. According to one of
the jurors at the inquest, Caleb "was rather given to drinking". |
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The sketch above, from a photograph taken in 1896, shows the Grand Junction Hotel, situated at
the junction of the Clunes Road and Learmouth Road, Dowling. It was one of the more substantial
buildings of Ballarat, being two stories, brick built and with a large ballroom on the upper floor.
Because of the nature of the building and its proximity to Dowling Forest race track the Grand
Junction was a possible site for Caleb's inquest.
With thanks to Glen Crompton, of Ballarat, whose great grandfather once owned Henderson's
Grand Junction.
| Many editions of the 'Ballarat Times' dated between
August 1854 to November 1867, which may have commented on Caleb's inquest, are missing.
However, the newspaper of January 1855, located in Ballarat Library, was a Post Office
advertisement listing the names of people who had not collected their mail. A letter for
Caleb CRAMPTON had been waiting for him since November. The dialect spelling of his name
suggests that this letter had not come from his family in England. |
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Click on the image for a 600x3300 pixel, 530Kb full picture. |
'The Argus', the Melbourne paper of the times, of 26 December 1854 didn't mention the Races on
that day, nor was there a report on 27 December 1854. There were a number of inquests reported on
30 December 1854, but nothing on Caleb. However, there were more comments on the Crimean War and
the fight with Russia.
With thanks to Warren Power in Creswick, Victoria, for researching the 'Ballarat Times'.
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On 15 December 1854, page 3 column two, of The Argus gave notice that a Mr
Cairns was suing a Mr Crompton for all that he possessed. The location of Miner's Rest (with
a possessive apostrophe!) and the connection with selling alcohol suggests this is our Caleb.
If so it is interesting to note that his building, made of wood and termed a hotel, was
placed on two roods of land (½ acre). It may be possible to trace this land grant and
therefore the location of the Newmarket Hotel.
The same legal notice also appeared on page 3 on Thursday 21 December 1854, eight days
before his death and 2 January 1855.
Is there a connection between this notice of bankruptcy and his death?
Source:
Australian Newspapers
|
1821info1c, sheet 3
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This notice, posted on page 8 of Melbourne's The Argus of 19 January 1855,
21 days after his death, suggests that Caleb died intestate, so requiring Frances to appeal
to the Courts for his effects. The advertisement confirms his occupation as that of 'inn
keeper'.
Had Mr Cairns legal case collapsed with Caleb's death thus allowing Frances to claim his
belongings and a degree of financial security? |
| Source:
Australian Newspapers |
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Despite Frances' petition page 8 of The Argus of 22 February 1855 reveals a
counter claim from James Cairns of Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, who appears determined to
recover his lost money.
The first notification, which appeared on Monday 12 February 1855, named Frederic Bayne, of
64 Chancery lane, Melbourne, as proctor for the said James Carns.
It is interesting to note that Caleb is 'late of Geelong'. |
| Source:
Australian Newspapers |
Caleb's burial place
There can only be speculation about where Caleb was buried. His name does not appear to be in
the Old Dowling Cemetery, which opened in 1859. Facts such as Burrumbeet church being nearer
Windemere and that the Windemere Church is nearer Cardigan serve only to underscore how difficult
tracing things from the gold rush days can be. Cardigan never had a church - it would probably have
been at Miners Rest. Both these churches have burial grounds that are candidates.
Footnote- the original Dowling Forest homestead
This Homestead, of 40,000 acres, was built by one William(?) Clarke and named after his bride's
maiden name of Dowling. There is a strong possibility that the old house of "Dowling"
still stands, nearer the Dowling Forest Cemetery than Miner's Rest, and that the farm is now 'the
old Walton farm'.
'Big' William Clarke was asked to fund the building of the now venerated Ballarat theatre - 'Her
Majesty's'.
