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.
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