GUNTAWANG - 1860s

NEWS ITEMS

1860 - Sudden Death, Under Suspicious Circumstances

An inquest was held at Guntawang, on Monday, the 19th inst., on the body of Hugh Frazer, a hutkeeper in the employ of Mr. Rouse, before Dr. King, the Coroner, and a respectable jury. It appears from the evidence that the deceased was hutkeeping at a sheep station, about twelve, miles from Guntawang. On Friday, the 16th inst., the shepherd went out wilh his sheep as usual, and on his return found deceased lying dead under the berth. He went with his sheep to an adjoining station, put them in the yard and stopped all night. On the following morning he reported the death of Frazer, and proposed leaving his sheep in the yard while he went into Guntawang to reportthe circumstance. It was, however, arranged that he should mind the sheep about the hut, and look after the children while the shepherd's wife went in. Mr. Thacker, the overseer, came out, and upon examining the hut he found that it had been swept cleaner than usual.

He observed holes in the earth floor indicating recent traces of blood, as if one had been filled and flowed over to the other. This he pointed out to a constable who was with him. The shepherd stated that a tilted cart had stopped there the night before, and, that deceased while talking to the owner of the cart that morning suddenly complained of being ill and in pain, and had gone to the berth to lie down. He also stated that the hut had not been swept that day. It also came out in evidence that when an axe was enquired for to open a box, the shepherd stated, that he had put it away, but did not know where; this axe was found under the bed by the side of the dead body of deceased. The body was in a very advanced state of decomposition, and Dr. Cutting was unable to find any wounds sufficient to cause death or the loss of blood supposed by the appearance of the hole in the floor. The jury returned a verdict of "Died from natural causes".

Source:  Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950) Fri 6 Jan 1860 Page 4

Source: 1861 - ALLEGED MURDER OF AN ABORIGINAL

An inquest was held on Wednesday, at the Plough Inn, Guntawang, before Mr W. King, M.D., coroner, on view of the body of John Dundar, an aboriginal, supposed to have been murdered by a man of the name of Thomas Black, who was in custody. Hugh Campbell, constable, belonging to the Mudgee police force, said, from information he had received he went to Guntawang on Monday and apprehended the person on suspicion of having murdered a blackfellow; he gave the usual caution, prisoner said that he knew nothing at all about it. Tommy Penny stated that a little before sundown they came up from the wash pen. Tommy was throwing sticks and tin kettles at one of the girls in the camp. As soon as he came up the prisoner and deceased began to fight on account of Johnny, saying "what you interfere with my little girl." Prisoner began to tear Jacky's shirt off, they fought two rounds, deceased was on the ground when his shirt was being torn. He (witness) hit prisoner, and asked him what he was fighting for, and took deceased on his lap, he did not speak, and died almost immediately; would swear that Johnny was thrown by the prisoner; Jacky had been at work all day; he was drunk, but was able to walk. Prisoner was neither sober nor drunk. The little girl was deceased's wife. He (witness) was sober, had had some three or four glasses of grog during the day, — Henry Gummer said he was taking his tea about sundown, when his little boy came in and said a blackfellow was beating a white man. Soon after, Tommy came and said, "Jacky is dead." He went with Mr Goldsmith to the camp, who told them not to bury the body. His hut was about sixty yards from the camp. He saw, as he was standing at his door, a man, but could not say it was prisoner. When he went with Mr Goldsmith, there was no one but the aborigines. White men frequently visited the blacks' camp—Mary Ann Gummer, wife of the previous witness, confirmed her husband s evidence, adding that she was almost certain that the prisoner was the man who was fighting the blackfellow, there were no other Europeans

near the place.—Arthur Thomas Piggott Cutting said he had viewed the body, and was of opinion that deceased came to his death by concussion of the brain, attended by extravasation of blood.—The jury returned a verdict that John Dundar came to his death by injuries received in a scuffle with prisoner, Thomas Black, at Guntawang, on the 26th November." Prisoner was then committed to Bathurst to take his trial for manslaughter.

Source:  The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Sat 7 Dec 1861 Page 7

RICHARD ROUSE of BIRAGANBIL

12 02 06
RICHARD ROUSE, grazier of Biraganbil, aged 62 YRS, died from "(a) GEN METASTASIS (b) MALIGNANT DIS RECTUM" of 3 years duration. Informant was his son, HUBERT ROUSE of Biraganbil. (NSW BDM 1501/1906)
Born in Jerico to GEORGEROUSE, a grazier, and ELIZABETHMOORE. 
Length in Colony: 62 years
Married at MUDGEE, at age 26, to MARY HELENA LOWE 
Children: LESLIE G 35Y, ETHEL M 32Y, HERBERT C 29Y, MYRIA B 27Y, IF DECEASED

Source: Gulgong Pioneers Museum

1901 - Biraganbil. THE OLD HOMESTEAD OF THE ROUSE FAMILY.

(By "St. Magnus.")

Biraganbil, the old homestead of the Rouse family, is situated on the Cudgegong River, about six miles from Gulgong. The dwelling house is a most beautiful and picturesque spot, with a clear stream in front, surrounded by green pasture lands and cultivated paddocks, with a background of dark wooded hills. The property is now in the hands of Richard Rouse, jun. The homestead is like a large-sized country village. The dwelling-house is a noble structure of brick, two storeys high, with a large court-yard in the centre, something after the style of Spanish dwellings of the better class, only the Australian dwelling is by far and away superior to any Spanish dwelling I ever saw. The courtyard is paved, kept scrupulously clean, and ornamented, by a multitude of flowering plants. The outside of the building is in keeping with the inside. There is a wealth of ornamental plants as well as a fine orchard, with windmills for irrigation or other purposes. The outbuildings are large and include quarters for a small army of men. There are a steam flour mill, blacksmith and wheelwright's shop, stores, wool shed, stables, cow sheds, men's quarters, etc, and the buildings are nearly all of brick. The reason for this large assemblage of buildings is because Biraganbil was originally the homestead of the late George Rouse, and formed the head station of all his holdings, scattered far and wide over the country. 

Source: Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919) Sat 12 Oct 1901 Page 22

Richard Rouse, c 1866

Richard Rouse of Biraganbil

Source: Wikitree

Richard junior* was born on 15 May 1843 at Jericho, near Windsor, New South Wales, son of George Rouse (1816-1888) and his wife Elizabeth, née Moore. He was educated at The King's School, Parramatta, and then learnt wool-classing. In 1867 he managed the Biraganbil stud flock near Gulgong founded by his father in 1864 with rams and ewes bought from N. P. Bayly of Havilah and later from E. K. Cox of Rawdon. He kept careful pedigree records and bred sheep with fine strong wool of abnormal elasticity and won many prizes at the Mudgee, Dubbo and Warren shows. He was also noted for breeding race-horses, including the champion, Marvel, and was reputed one of the best judges of horses in the colony. He inherited Biraganbil in 1888 and held three other stations.

* Note: this Richard Rouse was first cousin of Richard Rouse of Guntawang.

In May 1872 Rouse had 1000 shares in the new Biraganbil Gold Mining Co. Ltd. He was a councillor of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales, sometime president of the Gulgong Hospital, chairman of the Mudgee Pastures and Stock Board, a sheep director for Mudgee, a member of the Australian Jockey Club and a magistrate, although he rarely sat on the bench. 

Richard died at Biraganbil on 12 February 1906 and was buried in the Anglican section of Mudgee cemetery. He was survived by his wife Mary Helena and by two sons and two daughters. Mary Helena was daughter of Charles Bland Lowe of Goree, Mudgee. She married Richard on 29 July 1869. She died in 1922.

Source: Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, (MUP), 1976

1906 - DEATH OF MR. RICHARD ROUSE. 

Sportsmen throughout Australia will learn with regret of the death of Mr. Richard Rouse, the well-known breeder and sportsman, who passed away on Monday night at his residence, Biraganbil, near Gulgong. The demise of Mr. Rouse, who was in his 66th year, was not unexpected, inasmuch as for the last two years he had been afflicted with internal troubles. Mr. Rouse came of an old colonial family, the original of which was an Imperial Civil servant in the infant days of this State, and who on his retirement from the service settled down at Rouse Hill, subsequently acquiring the lands near the Cudgegong River, known as Guntawang and Biraganbil. 

Mr. Richard Rouse, who had the affix junior to his name prior to the death of his cousin Richard, of Guntawang, was born at Jericho, near South Creek, and had been prominently connected with horse-breeding and horse-racing since his boyhood. He was a first-class amateur horseman, and was a member of the Sydney Turf Club during its existence. In the late "seventies" and "eighties" the colours of Mr. Rouse figured prominently on the turf, and most of the old brigade of racing men can readily recall the brilliant performances of the half-brothers Waxy (by Gemma di Vergi) and Sting (by Grandmaster), the former of whom carried the popular blue and gold stripes to victory in the Epsom Handicap, 1881, and the latter, after winning the Hawkesbury Grand Handicap and A.J.C. Craven and Randwick Plates, 1883, was afterwards sold at a high figure to the late Mr. E. Weekes for whom he won the Adelaide Cup, 1853. In those days the late Noah Beale presided over the Biraganbil stables, and he was succeeded by James Swan. The Biraganbil stud, to which Mr. Rouse paid most attention in his later years, was very prolific in the production of racehorses, who achieved great success on the turf. The Biraganbil sires included such equine celebrities as Wilberforce, Marvellous, and Grandmaster, and during the regime of the gentleman just deceased, the stud has turned out such famous racehorses as Marvel (the greatest miler Australia has known, and winner of the Epsom and Doncaster Handicaps), Blarneystone (Summer and Tattersall's Cups), Little Bernie (Summer and Tattersall's Cups), Mackay (Royal Stakes), Donizetti (Doncaster Handicap), Reviver (A.J.C. Champagne Stakes and Metropolitan), Cerise and Blue (Sydney Cup), Lochaber (Toorak Handicap), Survivor (Metropolitan), Aristocrat, Shamrock, Dan O'Connor, Myles na-Coppaleen, Optima, and other performers of lesser note. The deceased gentleman also devoted himself to the breeding of cattle and sheep on an extensive scale. He leaves a widow, two sons, and two single daughters. Of the sons, the eldest, Mr. Leslie G. Rouse, is one of the A.J.C. stipendiary stewards; while the other, Mr. Herbert Rouse, manages Biraganbil station. The Australian Jockey Club will be represented at the funeral by the Hon. Richard Jones (chairman) and Mr. E. M. Betts. The deceased will be interred at Mudgee to-day.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Wednesday 14 February 1906 p 9 Article 

Richard Rouse of Biraganbil, 1843-1906

Source: Austcemindex

THE PROPERTY

The following photos were supplied by Trevor Walsh who lived at Biraganbil from the late 1950s until 1972. Trevor's parents, Kevin & Margaret Walsh. ran the property for Stan Fox.

See also: BIRAGANBIL BURIALS

GEORGE ROUSE

 

George Rouse of Biraganbil (1816-1888)

Biraganbil homestead (now demolished) in a wet season. (Courtesy Mrs Faye Dobson)

Source: Rouse family history

1901 - Biraganbil. THE OLD HOMESTEAD OF THE ROUSE FAMILY.

(By "St. Magnus.")

Biraganbil, the old homestead of the Rouse family, is situated on the Cudgegong River, about six miles from Gulgong. The dwelling house is a most beautiful and picturesque spot, with a clear stream in front, surrounded by green pasture lands and cultivated paddocks, with a background of dark wooded hills. The property is now in the hands of Richard Rouse, jun. The homestead is like a large-sized country village. The dwelling-house is a noble structure of brick, two storeys high, with a large court-yard in the centre, something after the style of Spanish dwellings of the better class, only the Australian dwelling is by far and away superior to any Spanish dwelling I ever saw. The courtyard is paved, kept scrupulously clean, and ornamented, by a multitude of flowering plants.

The outside of the building is in keeping with the inside. There is a wealth of ornamental plants as well as a fine orchard, with windmills for irrigation or other purposes. The outbuildings are large and include quarters for a small army of men. There are a steam flour mill, blacksmith and wheelwright's shop, stores, wool shed, stables, cow sheds, men's quarters, etc, and the buildings are nearly all of brick. The reason for this large assemblage of buildings is because Biraganbil was originally the homestead of the late George Rouse, and formed the head station of all his holdings, scattered far and wide over the country. The property has now been subdivided and sold, and the present proprietor holds about 12,000 acres, 8000 of which are freehold. The property has been improved by ringbarking, clearing, etc. The flat lands on the banks of the Cudgegong are all composed of prime agricultural and pastoral lands, and produce excellent crops of cereals, grasses, etc. In addition to the indigenous grasses, prairie grass, rye grass, cocksfoot, and lucerne are grown. The whole, estate is subdivided into paddocks, and watered by the Cudgegong River, and by creeks, dams, and tanks. The stock on the station comprises about 10,000 sheep, besides horses and cattle.

There are about 3000 stud sheep, mostly of the old Broombee breed, the members of which always hold their own in the district. The rams and ewes used in the double stud of this flock always fetch remarkably high prices in the market, and there, is a good demand for them. An attempt was made some years ago to introduce the Vermont strain in the flock, and 500 guineas was paid for a Barooga Vermont ram, but Mr. Rouse's customers would not take to the new strain, and demanded the old Broombee blood, and, out of deference to their wishes, he stuck to the old flock. Rams of the Broombee breed have cut as high as 291b per fleece, and ewes up to 151b and 16ib each. The Biraganbil horses, especially thoroughbreds and hackneys, have always held their own in the market, and there are several well-known animals now on the property; for instance, Clieveden, own brother to Mr. White's Chester. Among mares may be mentioned Melissa, the dam of Survivor and Mavourneen, and La Belle, the dam of Marvel. Several of the mares this year have dropped very fine foals by Voyou. The well-known hackney stallion Adventurer is also on the property. There are, taken all round, a large number of very fine young stock on the premises. The cattle on the property are mostly Shorthorns, and thrive well under the splendid conditions for their breedings.

Shearing is still done by hand at Biraganbil; the shearers being mostly farmers' sons from the neighborhood, who are a much superior class of men to the roving swagmen. Mr. Rouse's parlor is "studded with trophies of cups, etc., honors won by the stock owned or bred on the property, "and as a stockbreeder the proprietor may well be proud of his achievements. The gold fields encroach closely upon the homestead. The Biraganbil field is close to the house, and diamonds and gold have been found in the river, in fact, if the river banks were thoroughly searched it is probable payable gold might be found. As a whole the property is very complete, well cared for, and displays skill and capacity in every detail of its management. 

Source: Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919) Sat 12 Oct 1901 Page 22