ISSUE 29 — FEBRUARY 2008 Cemetery Conversations

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE FRIENDS OF ST. KILDA CEMETERY I N C .

WILLIAM AND SARAH WITT—PIONEERING PHARMACIST AND CHILDREN’S WELFARE WORKER

Story by Lance Peirson—great, great wife Hepzibah. The party grandson of William and Sarah Witt. boarded the clipper ship illiam Witt was born in Queen of the Seas with 39 Salisbury, Wiltshire other passengers, angora County, England, on goats and other assorted live- INSIDE THIS ISSUE: W the 14 December 1833, the stock, and departed London youngest of the seven children for Australia on 5 November WILLIAM AND 2 1856. SARAH WITT (five sons and two daughters) of ...CONTINUED Joseph and Martha Witt. Joseph They arrived in Australia, after THE EXTENDED 3 Witt, a blacksmith died in 1840 STEPHEN FAMILY a fast passage, on 27 January AND THEIR when William was six years old. AUSTRALASIAN 1857, and were disembarked CONNECTIONS William Witt was educated at the a few days later. The two Ivy Church Academy, Salisbury brothers and their wives THE EXTENDED 4 stayed only one night on land STEPHEN FAMILY and at a boarding school in the AND THEIR nearby town of Downton. At the in Melbourne before they de- AUSTRALASIAN parted for Beechworth in CONNECTIONS age of 12, he was apprenticed to ...CONTINUED Edwin Whitlock, pharmacist of northeast Victoria to meet up William Witt, pioneering pharmacist with the boys’ sister Emma Market Square, Salisbury, on 30 (Courtesy Stonnington History Service) September 1846. His master and her husband Eli Abbott. “GOD’S ACRE” - 4 LETTER TO THE departed the city for the relative Eli was a grocer’s assistant E D I T O R safety of the countryside during when he and Emma migrated the cholera outbreak of 1849, to Australia in 1852, where Eli

and William remained behind in found employment with Ed- charge of the business and the mund Vickery in his general junior apprentices. When the store on the goldfields of May

epidemic subsided, William, hav- Day Hills (soon to be renamed ing proved himself, was promoted Beechworth). Eli did well, first ) ) to run his master’s branch phar- buying out his employer in macy in Downton, a business that partnership with another young grocer’s assistant, and www.psrs.biz he would soon purchase for him- self. then buying the business out- tion ( tion FRIENDS OF ST. KILDA right. Eli was also a founding CEMETERY INC. member of the Wesleyan Sarah Woolcocks was born in (REG NO. A0038728J Plymouth, County Devon, England Church in Beechworth and was ABN 69 718 923 799) a councillor in 1856 and Sarah Witt née Woolcocks, on 22 September 1833. She wife of William married William Witt on 30 Octo- 1857. Sadly he died after a (Courtesy Stonnington History Service) PO Box 261 ber 1856 at the Morley Street short illness on 16 May 1861. ST. KILDA VIC 3182 Chapel in Plymouth. The newly- Charles King Witt soon moved AUSTRALIA weds left Plymouth for London on to Benalla where he had a Phone: 9527 2387 / 9531 6832 the next day with William’s older general store and farm. He brother, Charles King Witt and his (Continued on page 2) email: [email protected] website: www.foskc.org A Publishing Solutions and Research Services produc Services Research and Solutions APublishing Cemetery Conversations Page 2

(Continued from page 1) Mayor of Beechworth in ñ Police Superintendent squatters and pastoralists. 1865-66. He was appointed Robert O’Hara Burke, the founded the Wesleyan a Justice of the Peace in ill-fated explorer who ac- After his election to Parlia- church in Benalla. 1863 and served on the companied Wills on the ment, William moved to Bench of the Beechworth expedition to cross the Melbourne and opened a By April 1857, William had Court for the duration of his continent from the south new pharmacy in Flinders established his new phar- time there. He was a found- to the north. Street where he lived above macy in Beechworth in a ing member of the Beech- the shop. Sarah remained William’s business interests building attached to Eli’s worth Fire Brigade, serving in Beechworth until 1870 included branch pharmacies General Store and spent the as its secretary. A founding with her five surviving chil- at Chiltern, Tallangatta and next few years establishing member and Governor of dren, young William having Rutherglen, in Victoria, and himself in the town. Sarah the Ovens District Hospital died in 1864. William and at Wagga Wagga and Parkes Witt became pregnant on and at different times his family then moved to the in NSW. He also had a sales the voyage from England served as chairman, secre- relatively new suburb of and auction business in and gave birth to the cou- tary and treasurer on the Ballyshanassy, modern Bur- Beechworth and sat on the ple’s first child, William Hed- Board of Governors. He was wood, where William was boards of three mining com- ley Vicars Witt, on 29 July also the founder of the soon elected to the local panies. 1857. Sadly, the young Beechworth Prospecting governing body, the Nun- William died at Beechworth Association, and a founding awading District Road William was elected to the aged six, in 1857. member of the Beechworth Board. In 1872 the Road Legislative Assembly as the Lunatic Asylum and the Ov- Board became the Shire of member for the Murray dis- The years from the mid- ens Benevolent Society. In Nunawading, with William as trict at the Victorian elec- 1850s, through to the 1857 he was a foundation its first President, a position tions of 1868, 1871 and 1870s were Beechworth’s member of the Pharmaceuti- he retained until his retire- 1874. Whilst far from being heyday years. The town was cal Society of Victoria and ment as President in 1880. a great orator, William was a in the centre of a prosper- was the Society’s secretary During his time here he also diligent and conscientious ous gold-mining region and for the Beechworth district. served as chairman of the representative of his con- its population rose sharply Bench at the Box Hill Court. stituents, particular fa- in the 1850s. Canvas shops Some of his friends and The family home, Heather- voured by the poorer were replaced with more colleagues of these times sett was on 33 acres at the classes, the miners and substantial buildings of included: corner of Elgar Road and cattlemen of the high coun- stone and timber and the Burwood Highway and the ñ John Castieau, Governor try. He was instrumental in major civic buildings were original two-storey sand- of the Beechworth Gaol, the establishment of the erected; the Town Hall, stone house is now the ad- who would go on to be- railway line between Mel- Court House, Gaol, Hospital ministration building for the come Governor of bourne and Wodonga. To and Asylum. William Witt’s Presbyterian Ladies’ Col- Pentridge and then Com- this end he worked tirelessly pharmacy was in Ford lege, Burwood. It was here missioner of Prisons in chairing numerous meetings Street, the main commercial that the last three of William Victoria. to garner public support in precinct of the town. In and Sarah’s seven children the towns along the route, those times pharmacists, ñ G. B. Kerferd, a fellow were born, though like the gathering signatures on including William, also prac- councillor who in the fu- young William, their young- petitions and lobbying the ticed as dentists and he was ture was elected to the est child Charles Francis Colonial Ministry. He was also the regional agent for Legislative Assembly and Edward Witt was to die there also a tenacious advocate of the Colonial Insurance Com- became Premier of Victo- in early childhood. pany. ria. land reform and believed ñ Sir Redmond Barry, the that every hard working man ...to be continued. William was elected to the circuit judge for the dis- should be able to acquire Beechworth City Council in trict. his own land, in opposition October 1859 and was the to the vast estates of the Issue 29 — February 2008 Page 3

THE EXTENDED STEPHEN FAMILY AND THEIR AUSTRALASIAN CONNECTIONS

was never formally ap- judge of the NSW Supreme great many of Sir pointed to the role. He died Court. George Stephen’s at Auckland, New Zealand. extended family are A His widow, Margaret, who people of note. They even died in 1875, is buried in St. (18/11/1812 --- include the writer Virginia Kilda General Cemetery in 16/1/1894). Son of John Woolf who was the daughter the Church of England Com- Stephen (above), he arrived of Sir George Stephen’s partment “B” Grave 0371 in Sydney with his father in nephew, Leslie Stephen. with her son, Sidney James 1824. In 1829 he went to Listed below are just a few Stephen. Hobart and became a clerk members of the Stephen in the Supreme Court in family with connections to Sir Alfred Stephen 1830. He moved to South Australasia. (20/8/1802 --- 15/10/1894) Australia becoming a mem- Son of John Stephen and ber of the upper house. He John Stephen (18/7/1771 --- brother of Sidney Stephen went to England to study law 21/12/1833) Uncle to Sir (above). Cousin to Sir returning to South Australia George Stephen. Worked as George Stephen. Born at St and finally to Victoria in a barrister in St Kitts in the Kitts, West Indies. Arrived at 1851, where he practiced West Indies. He was eventu- Hobart in 1825 and was law and invested in mining. Grave of Francis Stephen at the ally appointed a Supreme St.. Kilda General Cemetery— made Solicitor - General and In 1859, he was elected to CofE “B” 17 Court Judge of New South then Crown Solicitor. From the Victorian Parliament as Wales in 1824 by his 1839 to 1844 he was a the member for Collingwood. nephew, Sir James Stephen puisne Judge of NSW and His later life was spent be- (see below). Chief Justice from 1844 to tween Victoria and NSW. He 1873. He was a member of became interested in spiritu- Sidney Stephen the NSW upper house from alism and was to become a (11/12/1796 --- 13/1/1857) 1875 to 1891. His eldest prominent faith healer. He Son of John Stephen (above) “A great many of son, Alfred Hamilton Hewlett is buried in the Melbourne and cousin to Sir James Alfred Hamilton Hewlett Stephen (1826(1826----1884)1884)1884), was General Cemetery. Sir George Stephen (below). Studied a prominent Anglican clergy- Stephen’s law and admitted to the Bar man in NSW. His second Sidney James Stephen in London in 1818. Married son, Montagu Consett (c1821 --- /1/1875). Son of extended family Margaret Adlam, the daugh- Stephen (1827-(1827-1872)1872), prac- Sidney Stephen (above). His are people of ter of a St Kitts’ merchant. Stephen (1827--1872) ticed law in Hobart and in obituary in The Argus Moved with his father to note. They even Sydney. His third son, Sir (29/1/1875) states that he NSW, then later to Hobart Sir Matthew was a native of Jamaica but include the and then to the Port Phillip (1828-(1828-1920)1920), was a barris- was brought to Australia by district. Appointed in 1850 (1828--1920) writer Virginia ter, QC and Judge of the his parents as an infant. as a puisne Judge in New NSW Supreme Court. His Early in life he was a judge’s Woolf ...” Zealand. He is sometimes seventh son, Septimus Al- associate to his father. He described as a Chief Justice fred Stephen (1842-(1842-1901)1901) was admitted to the solici- of New Zealand (as men- fred Stephen (1842--1901) was a lawyer, grazier and tor’s role in Victoria in Sep- tioned, for example, on his member of the NSW Parlia- tember 1851 and held vari- wife’s grave at St. Kilda ment. A grandson, Edward ous positions from clerk of General Cemetery). It would Edward Milner Stephen (1870(1870---- courts at Geelong to Clerk/ appear that he may have 1939),1939) also practiced law Registrar of the Victorian acted as Chief Justice in a 1939) and in 1929 became a temporary capacity but he (Continued on page 4) Cemetery Conversations Page 4

(Continued from page 3) Caulfield (near the corner of forced his retirement in Kooyong and Glenhuntly 1847. Although he never County Court. He died aged Road) in 1865. One daugh- travelled to Australia, his 53 leaving a wife (Emma ter, Gertrude Frances impact on the development Harriet née Gregory) and Stephen married John Mad- of the colonies was signifi- three young children. He is den (later Sir John, who was cant. His son Leslie buried with his wife in the Chief Justice of Victoria from Stephen (1832(1832----1904)1904) was Church of England Compart- 1893 to 1918). Francis and the father of Virginia WoolfWoolf. ment “B” Grave 0369). his wife are buried in the Church of England Compart- (Source: The Argus 12 May 1895; Biographical notes compiled by the Francis (Frank) John Sidney ment “B” Grave 17 in the St. late Helen Eggleston; A. Thomson Stephen (21/10/1823 --- Kilda General Cemetery. Zainu'ddin, “Stephen, James Wilber- 10/5/1895). Son of Sidney force (1822 - 1881)”, Australian Stephen (above). Born at St. Sir James Stephen Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition 2006 Kitts, West Indies he was (3/1/1789 - 14/9/1859). (3/1/1789 -- 14/9/1859). www.adb.online.anu.edu.au; C. H. educated at Kings College, Brother of Sir George Currey, “Stephen, John (1771 - Sydney and after a brief Stephen, public servant, was 1833)”, Australian Dictionary of period in , arrived born on 3 January 1789 at Biography, Online Edition 2006 www.adb.online.anu.edu.au; in Melbourne at the age of Lambeth, London, the third ‘Burreel’ - the former home of Francis “Stephen, Sidney”, from An Encyclo- Sidney Stephen near the corner of 22. He married Frances son of James Stephen. He paedia of New Zealand, edited by A. Kooyong and Glenhuntly Roads (Fanny) Morgan on 5 Sep- studied law and was called H. McLintock, originally published in 1966 Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of tember 1848 at the Church to the Bar in London in New Zealand, updated 18/9/2007 of England, Petersham NSW. 1811. He began his long www.TeAra.govt.nz/1966/S/ His monument records that career as a Civil Servant in StephenSidney/en; Martha he was “first solicitor of the 1813. It is suggested that Rutledge, “Stephen, Sir Alfred (1802 - 1894)”, Australian Dictionary of Corporation of Melbourne he sought a position in the Biography, Online Edition 2006 [i.e. the Melbourne City Colonial Office to help pur- www.adb.online.anu.edu.au; Council], which position he sue his interest in the aboli- “Stephen, George Milner (1812 - 1894)”, Australian Dictionary of held for 45 years”. The tion of slavery. This led to Biography, Online Edition 2006 monument also records that later criticism that Stephen www.adb.online.anu.edu.au; J. E. he was the second son of should have confined him- Egerton, “Stephen, Sir James (1789 the late Sidney Stephen self to the law rather than - 1859)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography 2006 “Chief Justice of New Zea- policy. Stephen occupied www.adb.online.anu.edu.au) land”. Francis Stephen built the highest position in the the stately home Burreel in Colonial Office until ill-health

“GOD’S ACRE” - LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Sir—In a letter signed ‘Pro business, for which the apperance of the cemetery. of rain. Why is all the money Bono Publico’, the writer has management charges 5s for To any practical man it is in a spent on the nursery, not put before the public the the loan to owner of the most unsatisfactory state; in building hot-houses, fernery, whole matter re the St. Kilda grave—cost, about 1s 6d; fact there is not any glass houses, waggons, Cemetery. Of course, his and if the owner puts up a cemetery around Melbourne coach hourses, and complaint of excessive headstone, etc., it—the so poorly kept. After passing manufacturing all kinds of charges are perfectly correct. label—is taken away and in from the main entrance, material instead of Take one small item – loaned out to someone else what will you find? Nothing asphalting the paths etc? - I “opening of graves”. The for another 5s, and so on. but a mass of debris from am , etc., ‘WATCHFUL’ ”. charge is £1, the cost beginning to end, and hardly Now, I come to another (Source: The Herald 25 Nov 1895 averages from 3s 6d to 4s. a good path in the whole portion, and that is, the p3) Then there is the label cemetery if tested after a fall