p44
. . . Eighty years had passed since tall banksia and spreading sheoak crowned the two lofty hills facing that section of the bay foreshore . . .
This places us in the timeline at about 1883. Collins Settlement at Sullivan Bay began in October 1803. (See more HERE)
. . . . The aftermath of “Black Wednesday” . . .
Black Wednesday, 9 January 1878, the day (so named as a bitter parody on the Black Thursday bushfires of 6th Feb 1851) on which the Victorian Berry ministry dismissed public officials wholesale. 1
. . . Buff ’s mates, having acquired a sturdy boat, took advantage of the demand for fresh fish . . .
By the 1880s, consolidation of lime burning in the area meant many limeburners had to look for other sources of income. Fishing was an option.
p45
. . . a man from Rye known to them as Jim Holly (or Holy Jim). . .
There was a James Holly in the district. Born in about 1860, we only know about him from numerous appearances at the Sorrento Court of Petty Sessions from May 1877 to December 1890 and from Police Gazettes. Early charges were for using “Indecent or Abusive Language” then for unpaid debts and later “Breaking in and theft”. He also spent a few days in jail in Castlemaine in lieu of fines.
p46
. . . the Yuille crowd, who own this land, are not renewing your lease of the kiln. . . .
William Yule (1843 -1909) (often misspelt Yuille) was a Melbourne based Lime Merchant. Born in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, he came to South Australia prior to 1867 when he is described as “of Gawler” in his marriage to Jane Garth. From 1885 he was in partnership with Charles Campbell (1840 -1905) in the firm of “Campbell and Yule” until his retirement from the firm in 1893.
William Yule also purchased land in Sorrento. In 1887 he bought Sorrento Town Allotment 5 Section 1. “Monte Vista” is on this site and was built by William. From 1899 he leased it to James Skelton (1859 -1942) who ran it as a Guest House. Following his death in 1909, Jane sold it to Jim Skelton in 1919.
p49
. . . Bill Webb’s young boy ‘ad fallen down the cellar . . .
William Webster (1832 -1928) is said to have jumped ship in 1853 while at the Quarantine Station. According to an interview in the Sun News-Pictorial of 5 June 1924 (On Trove HERE) he jumped ship with six others. William would remain at The Heads all his life and raise a significant family, including one son, William jr. (1869 -1946). We have no confirmation of William jr. falling into the cellar at the Sorrento, or any other.
History does not relate what happened to the six others. In the article his ship is named as the “Ganga Shan”. It is likely it was actually the “Genghis Khan” which was Quarantined on 15th June 1853 having come from Liverpool. Victor goes into some detail about the desertion. The source of this is unknown.
William Sr. purchased Crown Allotment 77A in March 1873 for £2. Here he built “Kilvenny” or its predecessor. This is on the front beach opposite St Pauls Road at what is now known as Webster’s Corner.
p52
. . . .“I suspect that the ‘highly respected friend’ the lawyer talks about would be Purves, also a lawyer, who is sometimes seen in the pubs drinkin’ alone while watchin’ with a funny grin the antics of other customers,” . . .
James Liddell Purves (see Chapter 3)
Nepean Historical Society 