Batty's Island is an area of land on the northern edge of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, south-east of Tynong and south-west of Garfield. It was actually an island surrounded by water before the Koo Wee Rup Swamp was drained, the main work of which took place between 1889 and 1893 (1). It is named after Thomas Batty, the original selector. Thomas was born Yorkshire in c.1802, married Nancy Buchanan in 1837; they had one daughter, Julia, who married Horace Nelson in 1869. I have more details about the life of Thomas and his family towards the end of this post.
*click on image to enlarge* Batty Island, Lot 18, clearly shown on this 1887 Parish of Bunyip map. Both Tynong Railway Station and Garfield Railway Station (then called Hope Town) are marked on the map. The land to the right of Batty Island was that belonging to Cyrus Mason, whom I have written about here. It was previously owned by William McKeone, whom I have written about here.
Detail of Bunyip, County of Mornington, photo-lithographed at the Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Melbourne, by J. Noone 10. 5. 87. [1887] State Library of Victoria Image http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/204488
The first we find of Thomas Batty in the newspapers was in The Age, December 20, 1872 when the following notice appeared - Land Act 1869 - Schedule of Applications to be considered by the Local Land Board, at Cranbourne, on Monday, 23rd December, 1872, at ten a.m. and amongst the 22 applications was this one - Thomas Batty, parish of Nar Nar Goon, area 300a. Description: South of M'Keon's, the island. (2). Despite the discrepancy in the size of the land, it was only 173 acres, the fact that it was described as 'the island' confirms which land it was.
Thomas Batty's land application for 'the island'
The Age, December 20 1872, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/199378245
I presume that Thomas was successful in 1872, however there was another report in February 1877 for applications under the Land Act - and under Applications for leases under Section 20 approved was this Thomas Batty, Nar-nar-Goon, 173a 3r 4p. (3) Whether Thomas was successful in 1872 or 1877, I cannot confirm, but he certainly occupied the land and had purchased it by October 1883 (4)
*click on image to enlarge* After the Parish of Koo Wee Rup East was established, Batty Island became lot 40a of this new parish. I have annotated this 1907 map and Batty Island is marked with an asterisk, located north of Lone Pine Road and east of Eleven Mile Road and surrounded by the Koo Wee Rup Swamp sub-divisions.
Detail of Koo-Wee-Rup, County of Mornington, photo-lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, Melbourne, by T. F. McGauran, 1907. State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/104853
Thomas died suddenly on the property on July 28, 1885 at the age of 83. An inquest was held the next day, conducted by John Startup, J.P. Evidence was given by his wife, called in the document Nancy Batty; Charlotte William, who may have been a house-keeper or carer and William Joseph Thompson, the police constable who examined the body. The inquest determined that Thomas had died of natural causes. (5) He was buried at Boroondara Cemetery, in the same grave as three of his grandchildren, who died as infants (more of whom later). He left an estate of £911. (6)
There is an amusing anecdote about Thomas and Nancy Batty. His neighbour from late 1876 was Cyrus Mason, an artist and the founder of the Buonarotti Club in 1883, a professional artists' organisation. (7) Mason hosted many artists and musicians on his property, Woodyats, and one of them Louis Lavater, shared his memories of one visit -
I remember that there was a dear old couple who lived on an island in the swamp, who received a letter from a Melbourne solicitor stating that they had been left a small sum of money. The old woman, who was aged 84 years - four years older than her husband - was keenly conscious of her husband's youthfulness, and it was with the greatest reluctance that she allowed him to go to Melbourne to arrange a settlement with the solicitor. She used to tell us that every time she thought of her husband among 'those Melbourne hussies' she had a 'paroxum.' Her stern disapproval of our bathing in the swamp apparently caused her a few more 'paroxums,' for she used to come down and seize our clothes and stalk away with them in righteous indignation. (8)
After the death of Thomas Batty the property was sold, however the name Batty Island stuck and we can find references to it up the 1940s. Here are three examples -
Shire of Berwick Council meeting report
South Bourke & Mornington Journal, October 23, 1901 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70047876
Shire of Berwick Council meeting report
South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 11 1914 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66185466
Account of a journey to Gippsland by the Rev. G. Cox.
Bairnsdale Advertiser, January 7 1941 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/269452166
We will now look at the subsequent owners of Batty Island. The information is from the Shire of Berwick rate books which lists the names of the owners and their occupations; the years are the first appearance in the Rate Books, but the sale transaction may have taken place some months previously.
1886/1887 - Henry Nelson, Publican. I can't find a connection to Horace Nelson, Thomas' son-in-law, but I feel there must be one. Interestingly, the next owner, John Geraghty also a Publican, paid the rates of the property for the last two years of Nelson's ownership, so there must also be some connection between the two, but I have no information about that and no other information about Henry Nelson.
The description of Henry Nelson's entry in the 1886/1887 Shire of Berwick rate books - 173 acres, Battys Island, Tynong.
1890/1891 - John Geraghty, publican. At one time he held the licence of the Inkerman Hotel, East St Kilda, then the Malvern Vale Hotel in Malvern, then the Commercial Hotel, Prahran and finally the Sir Robert Peel Hotel in Peel Street, Windsor. That was where he died in September 1897, aged 50 years of age. (9)
1896/1897 - Mary Bennett, Hotel keeper. Yet another publican, but I have no other details about her.
1898/1899 - Hugh Bullen, Gentleman. Hugh died in August 1905 at his home in Mary Street, Hawthorn, at the age of 68. He was a bachelor and left his estate to his seven siblings. Hugh had previously lived at Wooleen, in Northcote, off High Street, between Harold and Hutton Streets, where he operated a stone quarry. (10)
1902/1903 - William Pitt, Architect. When William Pitt (1855-1918) purchased this land he also acquired other parcels of land and was listed as owning 634 acres in total. Pitt was responsible for a number of high profile Melbourne buildings - the Princess Theatre, Federal Hotel (now known as the Windsor Hotel), the Rialto and the Olderfleet buildings and the St Kilda Town Hall. He was also a member of the Victorian Parliament from 1891 to 1910. (11)
1920/1921- Peter Gleeson, a land owner from Tynong. He purchased the entire 634 acres from William Pitt's estate in March 1921. By June 1922 the Gleeson family land holdings in the Iona Riding were itemised as - Mary, Peter and Joseph owning 190 acres; John, James and Florence the 634 acres including Batty Island and Thomas, Francis and Anne owning 160 acres. The Gleesons had land in the area from 1899/1900 with Thomas and Mrs W. Gleeson being the first ones listed in the rate books. Early on, their address was listed as Melbourne - the 1903 Electoral Roll has Thomas at Ingles Street, Port Melbourne and his occupation as a contractor. Not sure of the Gleeson family tree, but Thomas, who died in 1937, was the husband of Anne. (12)
There is an interesting account which connects the Gleeson to the Pitts. Mr C.P. Pitt mention in the article is Charles Pavey Pitt, William's brother, who possibly managed the farm for him - this was in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal in July 1902 -
The saying there is nothing new under the sun has been daily exemplified during the past century. The wildest imaginations of Jules Verne have become accomplished facts. Hitherto the difficulties confronting the would-be selector of swamp lands, in the way of clearing and subsidence, has to a great extent prevented a wish for these fertile spots. During the first days of settlement at Kooweerup the possibility of rolling down the "impenetrable" titree was advocated as feasable by the " Age " special reporter. The honor of practical demonstration belongs to Mr. T. Gleeson, and his invention is now working at Batty's Island under the direction of Mr. C.P. Pitt. The machine consists of an old donkey engine boiler provided with a centre axle, which supports a frame work and top roller, the latter fitted with broad flanges forming a steering apparatus or guide for the wire rope by which it is hauled to and fro. The total weight of the roller is three tons. The motive power being provided by an 8-horse power engine. In 7 weeks Mr. Pitt has rolled 130 acres. The machine does excellent work, lowering the soft peaty land some 18 inches by the first operation, and a large portion of the land has been rolled a second time and further consolidated to the extent of 6 inches. The land as rolled is being sown down down in grass, and will form an ideal dairy farm, splendid shelter being available on both sides of the flat. (13)
Who was Thomas Batty? His death certificate says he was born in Yorkshire and lists his occupation as a miner. This is confirmed by the 1851 Census, which gives his town of birth as Holmfirth, Yorkshire. He married on December 10, 1837 at Oldham in Manchester; he was listed as a widower. On the wedding certificate his wife was named as Nancy Buchanan. In 1843, their daughter Julia Ann was born in Stalybridge, Lancashire. This is the town the family were living in on Census night in 1851 - Thomas, 45 years old; Nancy 47 years old and Julia 8 years old. (14)
In the 1861 Census, Thomas was not listed, he had already migrated to Australia, I believe around 1852, most likely to join the thousands of other hopefuls on the gold fields. However eighteen year Julia, was listed in Stalybridge with her 57 year old mother - whose name was listed as Agnes. I believe they arrived in Melbourne in July 1864. On September 25, 1869, Julia married Horace Nelson, with the service conducted by a Congregational Minister at Neptune Street, St Kilda. Horace was 34 years old, born in London to Robert and Mary (nee Crighton) Nelson, he was a 'Reader for the press' which I believe is a proof reader. On the marriage certificate, Julia was listed as 26 and her father Thomas as a gold miner. Her mother was listed as Agnes Buchanan. (15)
Julia and Horace had seven children -
Florence Eleanor Lawton Nelson (born 1871, and died aged 10 months the same year)
Aubrey Joscelin Nelson (b. 1872, married Isabel Baudinet in 1900 and died in 1953)
Robert Nelson (a twin, b. 1874, and died at 2 days old)
James Nelson (a twin, b. 1874, and died at 2 days old)
Horace Julian Nelson (b. 1875, married Rose Whittey in 1916, and died in 1958)
Constance Gertude Nelson (b. 1877 and died in 1966, did not marry)
Beatrice Arabella Juliet Crighton Nelson (b.1880, married Spicer Carlton in 1909 and died in 1937) (16)
Nancy/Agnes died on August 20, 1890. Her death certificate lists her name as Agnes, her place of death at 317 Punt Road, Richmond, which was the address of her daughter and son-in-law and she was buried in the family grave at Boroondara Cemetery with Thomas and their little grandchildren - Florence, Robert and James. Horace died July 26, 1893, aged 60 years of age and he is also buried in the family grave with his children and in-laws. Julia died April 2, 1929 at her daughter Beatrice's house in Renown Street, Coburg and she is buried at Fawkner Cemetery. (17)
Trove list - I have created a list of articles connected to Batty Island, Thomas Batty and family and the other owners, access it here.
Footnotes
(2) The Age, December 20 1872, see here.
(3) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, February 28, 1877, see here.
(4) On the diagram below, which is the Batty property - it tells you that it is Lot 40a; 173 acres, 2 roods and 29 perches and the numbers 4.10.83 show the date that the land became freehold i.e Batty was no longer leasing the property from the Crown, he had paid for it - October 4, 1883
Detail of Koo-Wee-Rup, County of Mornington, photo-lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, Melbourne, by T. F. McGauran, 1907. State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/104853
(5) Inquest at the Public Records Office of Victoria, access it here https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/4E16068F-F1BD-11E9-AE98-BBBD3FA716B0?image=1
(6) The Herald, October 29, 1885, see here.
(8) The Argus, August 10, 1929, see here.
(9) See my Trove list, here, for the hotel ownership and his death notice
(10) See my Trove list, here, for his death notice and other articles. The location of the property is from Sands & McDougall's Melbourne and suburban directory.
(11) William Pitt, entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography written by Dian Langmore - https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/pitt-william-8058
(12) See my Trove list, here.
(13) The Argus, August 10, 1929, see here.
(14) Victorian Death certificate; the marriage certificate is on Ancestry.com - Manchester, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1930; the Census records from England list birthplace, age are are available on Ancestry.com
(15) Thomas' arrival in Victoria - his 1885 death certificate notes he had been in Australia 33 years, which makes it 1852. Arrival of Agnes and Julia in Victoria - Agnes 1890 death certificate notes she had been in Victoria for 26 years which makes it 1864. This is (almost) confirmed by an entry in a shipping record available on Ancestry.com - Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 - the Southern Empire arrived in July 1864 and amongst the passengers were 22 year old Julia Batty and a Nancy Batty, listed as a 33 year old widow. Despite this age and marital status discrepancy, I am sure this is our Julia and Nancy.
(16) Julia's children - Indexes to the Births, Deaths and Marriages and personal notices in the newspapers.
(17) Victorian death certificate of Agnes; Boroondara Cemetery website https://boroondaracemetery.com.au/ ; personal notices in the newspapers.
