Henry James Boxshall (1880 - 1968) obituary from the Koo Wee Rup Sun

Henry Boxshall wrote a history of the early families at Yallock - you can read it here. I came across his obituary which was published in the Koo Wee Rup Sun of November 27, 1968. It is an interesting account of early Yallock, his life and the early life of the Boxshall family in Victoria. It is transcribed here.

Well Known Yallock Resident Passes
 A very highly respected resident and member of one of Yallock’s early  pioneering families, Mr Henry John Boxshall passed away at the Westernport Memorial Hospital, Koo Wee Rup on Saturday November 23 at the age of 88 years.
Confined to a wheel chair for several years, the late Mr Boxshall was, however in his usual health and good spirits till he became ill and was admitted to hospital just the day before he died.

TO AUSTRALIA BY SAILING SHIP
His grandfather, Mr James Boxshall was a landscape gardener in Dorset England, before migrating with his family to Australia with the Dendy Migrants, in the sailing ship, ‘The Earl of Durham’
On arrival in Victoria in 1842 they settled in Brighton and owned property there to the extent that Boxshall Street, Brighton was named after them.
Harry Boxshall’s father, Mr Thomas Boxshall married Miss Elizabeth Mills of Brighton on February 27th 1875 and they had a family of eight children.
For fourteen years Thomas Boxshall was the curator of the Exhibition Gardens, Carlton, and was responsible for the layout of a large area of those gardens.

Boxshall Street in Brighton - that's the Brighton Town Hall in the background. 

Photo: Isaac Hermann.

YALLOCK VILLAGE SETTLEMENT
In 1895, when the depression hit Melbourne and the Yallock Village Settlement was proclaimed, Thomas Boxshall was one of the many pioneers who left the city and purchased a Yallock Settlement block. Harry Boxshall at this time was a young lad of 14 years.
This property where the late Harry Boxshall resided is one of the few original properties that has not changed hands. Thomas Boxshall died at Yallock in September 1917 and was buried in the Brighton Cemetery.
For the past 73 years Harry Boxshall had been dairying, in conjunction with another property which he purchased later.
Harry was a member of the Brighton Historical Society and furnished much information to Mrs. Sambells*, secretary of the B.H.S about the early days of Brighton.

DOUBLE WEDDING AT YALLOCK
An event remembered in the district for many years was the marriage in 1905 of Harry Boxshall and Violet Izzard performed at a double wedding ceremony with Jim Hatty and Letitia Cox, both now deceased, but also of early Yallock families.
The marriage took place at the Yallock Hall, St Savour’s Church of England, Yallock, being built shortly after. The ceremony was followed by a grand reception and dance to which all the district was invited and helped to provide the repast.
Harry and Violet Boxshall raised a family of 3 sons, Oswald, Horace and Roland and one daughter, Beatrix, who with the exception of Horace (Moe) reside at Yallock.
Mrs Boxshall passed away in 1961.

YALLOCK CRICKET CLUB
The late Harry Boxshall was a foundation member and secretary of the first Yallock Cricket Club and was recognised as a champion back-stop in the district associations. He played in Yallock’s first match against Yannathan team in 1896.
He had a very retentive memory and could relate amusing anecdotes and interesting details about early matches.
Of special interest to him was the Yallock State School, of which he was correspondent for a period of 20 years.
An accomplished historian on the Yallock district, Harry Boxshall compiled a history of the school, district and personalities, which was recently published in this paper.
He was a regular guest at the Yallock school education days and this year enjoyed his day out at both the Yallock and Caldermeade schools’ open days.

To members of his family is extended the sympathy of the community in the passing of this respected gentleman.
A very large crowd of local identities gathered at St Savour’s Church of England, Yallock on Tuesday for the funeral service following which the cortege proceeded to the Lang Lang Cemetery.

* I think it is Sambells, I can't read the first letter of the surname in the newspaper report, as it is in the fold of the pages.

Families at Yallock by H.J. Boxshall

Families at Yallock this was written by H.J. Boxshall, it was published in The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson.  Families at Yallock was from Mr Boxshall's  work History of Yallock Village Settlement - it was published in the Koo Wee Rup Sun over three weeks in June /July 1968 - they are transcribed here.

Henry John Boxshall was born on December 31, 1880 to Thomas and Elizabeth (nee Mills) Boxshall, they had seven other children. Thomas was the curator of the Exhibition Gardens in Carlton for fourteen years, and in 1895 the family moved to Yallock.  Thomas died in 1917 and Elizabeth in 1925, they are both buried at the Brighton Cemetery.  Thomas' father James Boxshall, was a Dendy migrant and he and his family had come to Victoria on the Earl of Durham in 1842 and settled at Brighton. Boxshall Street in Brighton is named after the family. You can read Thomas' obituary in the Brighton Southern Cross of January 9, 1904, here. In 1905, Henry married Violet Izzard, from another pioneering Yallock family. They had three children who died as infants, Clifford, Daphne and Donald and three sons, Oswald, Horace and Roland and one daughter, Beatrix, who all lived to adulthood.  Violet was born in November 1880 and died in September 1960. Henry remained at Yallock until his death on November 24, 1968. He and Violet are buried at Lang Lang. Most of this information comes from Henry's obituary in the Koo Wee Rup Sun of November 27, 1968. It is transcribed, here.

The following is Mr Boxshall's account, which I transcribed from The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire. I haven't altered the punctuation but I have separated the text into paragraphs, to make it a bit easier to read.

 Families at Yallock by H.J. Boxshall

The following are the names of the firstcomers to settle on their blocks at Yallock, starting at the corner of Finck’s Road - the No. 5 Road; when known, former occupations are given in brackets. The corner block was occupied by W. Donaldson (bricklayer) them A. Renfrew (furniture salesman) H. Treeby (labourer) J. Treeby (farm labourer) were next, then my father T. Boxshall (landscape gardener). Mr Boxshall was for 14 years foreman of the Exhibition Gardens, Carlton, and had laid out a large area of those gardens, an elder brother of mine A. Boxshall (engine driver Vict. Rlys) was next. H Scharf (carpenter) came next. Mr Scharf had left Germany to escape militarism, two of his sons enlisted in World War 1 and both were killed in France. W. Chance was on the next block and next to him O.W. Reitchel (bricklayer) on the corner block at the Hall Road was M.O Donald (mail contractor and studmaster), the last four allotments mentioned are now occupied by Mr Geo. Peck.

The block now owned by Mr Deppeler was occupied by E. Rossiter, the 60 acres now owned by Mr Still belonged to the Lyall family, on the corner block now F. Stephens’ was Mr Simmill (blacksmith). Mr J. Jones was first on the block now owned by Mr F. Ashby. Mr Jones was a saddler by trade, next to Jones was Arthur Orford (labourer) his house was burned down during the bushfires of 1897, he then left the district.

The first on the block opposite the Hall and now belonging to the Bailey family were Mr Kroschell, Mr Glowasky whose son was later a well known member of the Victorian Police Force. Mr Chas Woodman owned these two allotments for some years. One of the earliest settlers was Mr F.P Stephens (farmer) he donated land for the Church of England, his son Mr F. Stephens now resides on the property, next was Mr Priestly, Senior. Mr E. Bateson followed him and lived on the property some years. Mr Bateson was a member of the first School Committee, he donated land for the Methodist Church, the Ashby family now own that farm, Mr Geo Wright (builder) lived on the corner block owned by Mr C. Brazil - names I recall further east and on McKays Road are G. Richardson, Geo. Casey, J. McKay, J. Orchard. B. Lineham, W. Cadee, L. Coates, J. Teckleson, T. O’Shea and W. Cameron.

The land for the hall was given by Mr Fred. Simmill who owned that block, next on O’Brien’s Road was T. Harker, now owned by Stephens and Thompson, Mr J. McGhee was next, Mr F. Lineham occupies that property now. Mr W. Harker owned the block at the corner of O’Brien’s Road and No. 6 road, also on O’Brien’s Road lived Mr J.T. O’Brien, a local Cranbourne Shire Councillor for many years, he was a former overseer on the drain works. Mr James Stevens (a Sailor) was next, this farm was afterwards owned by Mr A. Dalyrimple, a School Committee man for some years, after his departure it was taken over by Mr Horace Barr (A.I.F.) Mr W. Fechner now owns it.

The first to live on the block now owned by Mr W. Thomas was Mr A.T. (Dick) Priestly, son of Mr Priestly mentioned before. Mr Priestly afterwards had a general store in Lang Lang and a farm at Yannathan, next to Priestly’s was Mr E. Powis who kept a boarding house at Dandenong, his son H. Powis lived on the block, he was a well known footballer at Dandenong and at one time played for Essendon League, he was also a member of the local cricket and football clubs. On the outbreak of the Boer War he enlisted, was a member of the Fifth Contingent and served in S. Africa, when World War 1 started he again enlisted and saw service abroad.

Early comers who did not stay long were Chas. Williams and a man named Rodgers, the latter was the first on the block lived on for years by the Gudgin family. Salisbury was the name of the man who took over from Rogers, then came the Gudgin family. Mr Gudgin Sen. Was followed by his son William and then his grandson Harold, this property is now owned by Mr Geo. Light. On the School Road, close to the School was Mr C.J. Izzard (saddler) who donated the ground for the school. Mr Izzard was Secretary of the first Yallock Progress Association. Where Mr Light now lives was Robert Fountain, on the next block was Mr D. Ware, Mr E. Collyer, one of our earliest School Committee men, followed Mr Ware, that block is now owned by Mr W. Fechner, on the block now occupied by Mr Fechner was Mr W. Hatty Sen., others to live on that block were Mr Savage, D. Cahill and S. Flewin, Mr W. Hatty Jun. was on the next allotment, the corner block was first owned by Mrs Brown, Mr D. Abel now owns those blocks, Mr W.A. Cox lived for a while on one of those blocks now owned by Mr A.M Bethune.

The first to live on the block now occupied by Mr T. Light was Charles Ware a former road contractor, on the next block was Thomas Kirwin (farm labourer) and next was Mr A. J. Cox (Bootmaker). Mr J. C Hatty was first on the block now where Mrs. Humphrey lives. Mr Wise (late A.I.F) also loved there for some years. Early settlers on the No.6 or Catani Road were: Mr F. O’Neil, E. Giggins, W.R. Donaldson, V. Blythe (Mr Blythe was an ex-serviceman and was for some years president of the local branch of the V.D.A.)

On Finck’s Road adjoining Donaldson’s were: J. Yeaman (Engine Driver) next B.J. Cox, father of George Cox who now lives there. On the next allotment was H. Reid who left his block when his house was destroyed by fire. On the Finck’s and No. 6 Roads where Mr E. Kane lives was W. Nichol’s and later Chas. Woodman, the block across the road was first owned by W. Scanlon. Mr L. W. Finck Sen., was next. Mr Finck was Secretary for the School Committee for many years and also Secretary for the Hall Committee.

A former member of Parliament names Tetherly, who at one time represented Ballarat in Victorian Legislative Assembly, had a block on the Yallock creek bank, there he put up  a tent and started to clear some of the land for a garden, he had only put in  a few weeks work when the creek flooded over and washed him out, he gathered up his belongings and left, never to return. Next to Tetherly’s  Mr T. Pretty built a home right on the creek bank, when the creek flooded the water was soon running through the house and Mr Pretty and his family had to wade knee-deep through the flood and take refuge with a more fortunate neighbour, by midnight the house was half submerged, after the flood subsided Mr Pretty lost no time in moving his house to higher ground. Another sufferer from that flood was a Mr Taylor who built himself a wattle and daub hut close to the creek, the water rose too fast for Mr Taylor, an elderly man, to get out and he managed to get on to the roof of his shack where he remained all night, he was rescued early next morning by Mr. C. Ware, who rode his horse, a powerful draught, through the flood to the hut and brought Taylor to dry land, that experience was enough for Mr Taylor, he also departed never to return. Mr David Gray then took over the blocks vacated by Taylor and Tetherly and later he bought Mr Petty’s farm, after World War 1 he sold the place to the Repatriation Commission. Mr H.V. Izzard (late A.I.F.) lived there for some years, when owing to illhealth, he had to leave and go on to a small farm at Hallam Valley. Mr L.W. Finck Junr, also a former serviceman now owns that property.

I would like to record here the name of Fred Crispin who was a share farmer on ‘Quamby’ for a few years prior to 1914. He enlisted soon after the outbreak of the war. Mr Crespin was an accomplished organist and piano player. During his residence at Yallock he was Organist at St Saviour’s Church of England and was also in great demand as a pianist at local dances. Mr Crespin was also a good cricketer and captained the local Eleven during his stay at Yallock, on his return from war he was unable to take up farming again owing to failing health and was given employment in the Lands’ Office at Melbourne, he died soon after taking that position, his passing was greatly regretted by all who knew him.