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James Henderson JAMES HENDERSON Original Purchaser of major Landholdings in St Lucia, Taringa and Indooroopilly The search to find the most likely candidate Andrew Darbyshire St Lucia History Group Research Notes St Lucia History Group Contents Introduction 2 Reference Material 2 James Henderson local landholdings 3 Initial Clues 4 Potential candidates 6 Shipping Records 10 Portions 25 and 26 (Toowong) 11 Portion 37 (Taringa) 12 Portion 46 (Indooroopilly) 12 Appendix Land purchases in the name of James Henderson Shipping Records Conveyances and Encumbrances James Henderson correspondence with Railways Andrew Darbyshire February 2017 Initial Draft – March 2006 Issue No 3 (Draft) – General update/part resolution April 2007 Issue No 4 (Draft) – Railways correspondence added August 2007 Formatting and minor edits only – January 2010 Private Study Paper – not for general publication St Lucia History Group PO Box 4343 St Lucia South QLD 4067 [email protected] brisbanehistorywest.wordpress.com ad/history/james henderson/research notes Page 1 of 33 St Lucia History Group Introduction James Henderson’s name features repeatedly on the early cadastral maps of the local area including significant parts of current day Toowong, Indooroopilly and in a continuous stretch along Indooroopilly Road from Burns Road to the river at the end of Meiers Road. Total holdings were in the order of 400 acres. Portion 31, a particularly large block of 53 acres, includes the land on which our house is built. Previous research on Thomas Lodge Murray Prior, a contemporary large local land purchaser, was relatively straightforward, he had a unique name, however, the initial pass of the usual reference material revealed a number of potential James Hendersons. These Notes consolidate the information collected on the candidates and confirm with some certainty at least the identity of the landowner of Portions 25 and 26 at Toowong and Portion 37 at Taringa. It is considered highly likely that all the Portions were purchased by the same individual, however, final confirmation for the balance remains an ongoing task. Reference Material . Pughs Almanac 1865 (RHSQ) . The History of Queensland It’s People and Industries Vol 2 Compiled by Matt J Fox 1921 (RHSQ) . A Biographical Register 1788 – 1939 Vol 1 A – K HJ Gibbney and Ann G Smith (Fryer) . Sydney Morning Herald Births Deaths and Funeral Notices 1842-47 and 1851-53 (+ Mfilm 3385) (Fryer) . Westpac Banking Corporation Archives . ANZ Banking Group Limited Archives . Titles Office . NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages (Website) . Early Shipping in Moreton Bay Volumes 1 (Jun 1846 to Dec 1859 and Two (Jan 1860 to Dec 1863) (National Archives Cannon Hill) . The Henderson and Inglis Story 1666-1985 (John Oxley Library) . Queensland Railways Files- various (Queensland State Archives) . And as noted in the text ad/history/james henderson/research notes Page 2 of 33 St Lucia History Group James Henderson Local Land Holdings Base Map C 1880 – Fryer Library ad/history/james henderson/research notes Page 3 of 33 St Lucia History Group Initial Clues A number of individuals were active in the purchase of land on the fringes of Brisbane in the 1850’s and early 1860’s, primarily it appears for speculative purposes. Reference to various land maps showing the original surveyed Portions, and their original purchasers, reveals a number of regular players active in the market. Thomas Lodge Murray Prior is a good example, he bought suburban Lots close to the city and further afield at Kenmore/Moggill and Tingalpa/Cleveland. In following his acquisitions it became obvious that James Henderson was also making a number of purchases, it would appear, around the same time (refer to Appendix) JH’s 1853 purchases in the local area were the two blocks in what would later be known as Toowong, around 31 acres purchased with the assistance of Land and Immigration Receipts – unclear at this stage if this relates to transferrable immigration scheme land grants or government bonds purchased to fund immigration (the schemes rules and conditions for land grants appear to vary over time). Cash appears to have been the order of the day for the later purchases. James was obviously cashed up or had easy access to a line of credit. Only one Title has been examined at this stage, that for Portion 31, which he purchased in September 1859. Extract from Portion 31 Title – Titles Office This Title was issued after Separation on Queensland headed paper although it is believed the funds would have been paid into the NSW Treasury. The purchase was made at the upset price of ₤1 per acre, so there was obviously little competition at the land sales auction (or some form of ‘gentleman’s’ agreement was in place). ad/history/james henderson/research notes Page 4 of 33 St Lucia History Group The Title notes that the land was purchased by James Henderson of Sydney. Examination of subsequent Titles shows Portion 31 stayed in the name of James Henderson until purchased by William Dart in October 1876, suggesting the orderly disposal of assets/speculative investments over time. No attempt was made to sub-divide the land during this period. The Title margin note by Edward R Drury (Drury was Brisbane Manager of the Bank of Australasia from 1860 to 1870 and from 1872 Manager of the Queensland National Bank), suggests the original of the Deed may have been lodged with the Bank when it was issued in December 1860. It is unclear whether this was for, or as security, although there is no ‘Mortgage’ stamp on the copy of the Deed. Property Advertisement from The Courier – Fryer Library Trundle and Cameron offered Portions 29 and 30 Parish of Indooroopilly (just north of Portion 31) for sale in January 1864 noting that the ‘Proprietor leaves for Europe next month’. These lots were part of James Henderson’s 1859/60 purchases and probably still in his hands 1. 1 Sheperd Smith bought these two Portions in early 1864 and subsequently sold them to Robert Cribb – courtesy Peter Brown ad/history/james henderson/research notes Page 5 of 33 St Lucia History Group Portion 21 is believed to have been under separate ownership at the time and it is not quite clear why it is bundled with 29 and 30. Perhaps just ‘marketing’ by the Agent. Two references to James Henderson have been found in Pughs Almanac for 1865: NSW Marine Assurance Company, George Street Sydney Qld Agents Molison, Black and Smith, Commission Merchants, Station and General Commercial Agents Directors: Robert Dixon James Henderson Fred H Dangar Richard Jones John Fairfax William Walker MLC Bank of NSW Head Office Sydney Queensland Manager Alexander Archer Directors: George Allen W Walker MLC James Henderson Frederick Tooth Robert Towns Thomas Walker [It has not been possible to trace records of the Insurance Company] Potential Candidates In summary from the above and on the basis that the local purchases were by the same man, it is likely that James was: . A man of substance . Had access to speculative funds or a good ‘credit rating’ . Didn’t run into any financial difficulties needing a fire sale of assets . Had the capacity to be active in local land acquisitions from the early 1850’s . Potentially lived or had a business base in Sydney at the time of the land purchases . Possibly had plans to visit Europe around 1864 Preliminary research revealed a number of potential candidates, however, the following three seemed the best fit based on these criteria. James Henderson (Scott Henderson) . Born ? Died London 7 August 1875 . Wife Jemima (nee ?), date married ? . Occupation - Merchant of Sydney (at time of election to Bank) . Director Bank of NSW 1854 – 60, 1862 – Feb 1865 (elected to Board on retirement of William Rankin Scott Oct 1854 – WRS of Lyall Scott & Co) . 1858, joins William Rankin Scott as a Partner in Scott Henderson & Co, Scott in England looking after the London end of the business . 1850/60s, Scott Henderson large importers of a variety of goods including tea from China and timber from New Zealand . 1858/59, address Lower Fort Street (Sands Sydney Directory) ad/history/james henderson/research notes Page 6 of 33 St Lucia History Group . 1863 – 65, address Bayswater Woollahra and Bayswater Villa Double Bay (Sands Directory) . 1864, Thomas Littlejohn becomes a Partner in Scott Henderson & Co . 1865, re-located to London to manage business there, visited Sydney 1868 to wind up affairs . 1870’s, Scott Henderson (or individual directors) have stake in Coochin Coochin . 1868 – 1875, London Board member Australian Joint Stock Bank . 7 Aug 1875, dies in London [Check NSW Marine Assurance Company, George Street Sydney – seems the likely candidate to be a Director] James Henderson (Tabragalba) . Born 1822 in Scotland . Son of John Henderson (John Henderson and Sons Engineers) and Agnes Page (Fifeshire) . 1844, married Euphemia Millar at Kinghorn Parish Church, Elie, Fifeshire, Scotland . Early 1850s, arrived in Brisbane with family . Worked/managed/partner in Dougald Graham’s Tabragalba (Beaudesert way) . 1855, assumes ownership of Tabragalba Station from Dougald Graham . Early 1860s, problem with sheep (foot rot, scab, catarrh) resulting in heavy losses . 1866/67, Tabragalba passes to Bank of Australasia and then purchased by De Burgh Persse . 1868, relocates family to Logan River Sawmills and then selects 317 acres of land resumed from Mundoolun Station, renames it Kinghorn . Subsequently turns his hand to, and wins awards for Agricultural Engineering (success at local and Colonial Shows) . 1893, dies at Kinghorn (Euphemia died 1870’ish) James Henderson (Bank of Australasia) . Born 1815 in Scotland . Son of James Henderson, Tax Inspector Edinburgh, and Sophia Young . Experience in Solicitors Office . 1838, emigrates to Australia, employed as Junior Clerk in Hobart Branch of The Bank of Australasia, relocates to Bathurst and promoted to Accountant .
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