1904
6 October 1904
A Double Loss
Recently we mentioned that Mr. Wm. Pitt, of Umbiella, Glen Alice, had sustained a heavy loss through the death of a valuable horse. He has met with a further misfortune, a thoroughbred that he had leased to Mr. Lawson running away with the boy who had charge of it and breaking its back. Mr. Pitt estimates his loss, by the death of the two horses, at fully £400. - "Mercury.1
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16 December 1904
FIRES IN GLEN ALICE
MR. PITT'S BIG LOSS.
Glen Alice correspondent of the "Western Post" writes:- Mr. Pitt(https://fionasuniverse.com/tree/Cudgegong%20Valley%20History/individual/I2908/William-Pitt), of Umbiella, has had another serious misfortune added to the list of recently experienced by him. Last Wednesday morning a bush fire, which had been burning for several days in a property leased by Mr. Wilkins of Glen Alice, burst into flame. A couple of hours later the heat became excessive, and a hot westerly wind sprang into existence. The flames were caught in the grasp of the sweeping wind, and borne in a wide face of hundreds of acres of heavily-grassed country, completely destroying everything. Adjoining Mr. Wilkins' property Mr. Pitt has a well-established lucerne paddock of 80 acres, and in one corner, stood eight nicely set stacks of prime lucerne. A trail some feet wide had been burned westward of the stacks, and several men lined up on its border to meet the surging flames, which flashed brilliantly, now and then through the walls of angry, black smoke. The wind swept on at something like 30 miles an hour, and in a few moments the flames had possession of every hay-stack, and men with singed moustaches and whiskers rushed in all directions to save their lives. One of the men in question lost fully half-an-inch of the right portion of his moustache, which seems to show that he had stuck to his guns, while all the rest were more or less scorched. It is estimated by Mr. Pitt. that his loss represents 120 tons of prime lucerne, which before the season is over, may be equivalent to £720 hard cash. Some little time ago the same person lost two racehorses, valued at 200 guineas apiece. His total losses within the last three months will approximately represent £1140."
1910
23 December 1910
THE SMITHFIELD BUTCHERY.
Mr. J. S. Sutton, of the Smithfield Butchery, states that for Xmas he can specially recommend his veal (from Mr. Pitt's famous Umbiella station), pork, and lamb. Other stocks include smoked legs of mutton, big supplies of corned silverside, and small goods (ham and chicken, fritz Germans, etc.), which will all be up to the Smithfield Butchery standard. There will be adequate stocks of suet, some nice ba con, and a few hams, For the hot weather there will be plenty of ice, Mr. Sutton having arranged to run his ice-making plant so that private, as well as business people may be able to obtain full requirements in this line2
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1911
14 February 1911
SALE OF UMBIELLA.
Warden Harry Graves. Ltd., report having just completed the sale of 'Umbiella' Estate, situate in the Capertee Valley and comprising an area of 15,836 acres, freehold, on account Mr. W. F. Lawson; Mr. T. C. Ashe of Bathurst being the purchaser3
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1913
17 December 1913
Capertee History.
"THE true facts of the case are as follows: - Umbiella was acquired previous to 1828 by Major Innes, who in that year came to live in the Capertee Valley with his wife. In those days this beautiful property was used as a cattle station, and its treeless areas were undisturbed by few people, save the wild Australian blacks. As nearly as can be ascertained from the most authentic records, Umbiella passed by sale from the hands of its original owner (Major Innes) to Sir John Jamison in the year 1838. Sir John Jamison established a convict settlement on his newly-acquired property; and it remained in his possession until his death at Regentville, Penrith, many years later. Sir John's executors (the Hon. Robert Lowe and Captain Russell) subsequently sold Umbiella to Mr. Thomas Lawson; and at his death the property came to Mr. William Lawson, who a couple of years ago effected its entire sale to Mr. T. C. Ashe, of Bogie, Rylstone. About the time Umbiella was acquired only two other properties existed in the Capertee Valley, and the three comprised every single inch of its area, save Bogie and Brymair. The first of the latter two was Warranger, which was a grant to Jonathan Maclean (Administrator of Norfolk Island) in the year 1823, and the second Glen Alice, which was a grant to Captain James Innes about the year 1827. Glen Alice was subsequently sold to Mr. John Maclean, and Warranger is the property of my parents to-day. The statement that Mr. Wm. Lee once owned land in the Capertee Valley is equally as false as that which proclaims one acre of Bylong to be worth a square mile of Capertee. I trust 'Milroy' meant this figuratively, otherwise he could only be referred to in the most uncomplimentary terms. Perhaps 'Milroy' is hitherto, unaware that Capertee Valley has always been famous as a cattle-fattening, horsebreeding, and wool-growing centre. For many years past the butchers of Lithgow, Portland, Capertee, and Wallerawang largely obtained their fat stock supplies from the Capertee Valley.
A Fertile Valley.
Away back in the sixties the Indian market was supplied with remounts from Glen Alice and Umbiella to the extent of hundreds per year; and to-day several properties are clipping a similar kind of wool from the backs of thousands of sheep to that removed over 60 years ago by their ancestors. As to the agricultural nature of the Capertee Valley, I would refer 'Milroy' to Mr. Richard Binnie (a director of the Bank of New South Wales), who described hundreds of its acres as being the equal, if not the superior, of the best Hunter River lucerne flats. It might also be news to 'Milroy' to know that over 40 years ago the late Mr. Dixon offered Mr. John Maclean £10 an acre for 500 acres of land situated in the heart of the Capertee Valley. Mr. Dixon was the founder of Dixon and Sons, Ltd. It is at least sure that no person should make a comparison of the two places. One (Bylong) is varying in richness, and very much limited in area, while the other (Capertee) is also diversified in soil characteristics; yet, in comparison, a colony in extent. I trust that the above facts will make it clear that - Firstly, Sir John Jamieson was not Mr. Lee's persecutor; secondly, Umbiella was not a grant to Mr. Thos. Lawson; thirdly, Mr. Wm. Lee (the original) never owned any land in the Capertee Valley.' Source of the Story. IF Mr. Lyndon Jamison is as familiar with the customs that obtained in the times of Sir John Jamison as he is with the history of Capertee Valley it would not be difficult to make him understand that during the rule of Governor Macquarie and up to the time of Governor Sir George Gipps there was no need to apply to the Sydney powers for the right to occupy land. Any discoverer of unoccupied lands could just squat upon them, and make his own boundaries. Hence, the title "squatter," which Hyman, By Havoc - Bridal Morn, by Thunderbolt bred by the late Charles Baldwin at Durham Court, N.S.W. He was a wonderfully brilliant middle-distance horse, and has been purchased by Mr. A. J. Morton from Mr. Theo. Cooper for 1750 guineas for Mr. W. Schmidt, who is acting for the German Government, holds good, today. If Mr. Lyndon Jamison had been a regular reader of these columns for, say, six years, he would have read the original story, which appeared in an article dealing with the Lee family as stock-breeders, and would then have known my authority for the statement concerning the eviction of Mr. William Lee. My informant was his son, the Hon. George Lee, who died some time back, and as that statement about the eviction has since been repeated during the lifetime of Mr. Lee, it seems to me rather a pity that Mr. Lyndon Jamison - and, of course, many others in a position to know things; from records of the past - did not contradict it, and charge Mr. George Lee with false statements during his lifetime. I incline to the belief that not one man in this State, high or low, friend or enemy, would be so daring as to charge Mr. Lee with perverting the truth, and if there was one other man - with the exception of the late Mr. John Lee - in a better position to relate facts concerning the career of his father, it was Mr. George Lee. One of the Hon George Lee's daughters, Mrs. Marriott, I believe, has kept careful touch with the past from printed and word of mouth records, which her grandfather, father, and uncles have passed on to the present generation. This lady and her highly-respected father read the original article. I know Mrs. Marriott scrap booked it. Does Mr. Jamison or any other individual on earth acquainted with the Lee family suppose for one moment that if the story were untrue, or misstated by me, they would not have stepped in and corrected it? I guess not.
Macquarie's Crossing.
I AM in possession of a diary and scrap-book records which began at Parramatta in 1802 and were continued by father and son until early in 1890. They were mine by right in 1896, but I have only recently got possession of them. Contained in these are many instances of Government House power, and of removal by ukase of one squatter in favour of another. I recall an interview I had long ago with the late Mr. Charles Baldwin, and which was published in the "Mail," of a similar happening, when his grandfather was "moved on" by the Governor in favour of a Macquarie street favourite and founder of a family which there is no occasion to name. Many of these instances in the early life of the colony would make admirable reading in book form, in which some day they may appear. The authors of these notes and scraps make frequent reference to Sir John Jamison, and always in complimentary terms, especially in respect to the manner in which he treated his servants and subordinates, and his general idea of fair play, but when Sir John went after a bit of land he generally got it, and he invariably made better use of it than most men of his time. The story told me by Mr. George Lee, I am perfectly certain, is true, but I cannot see how it reflects on Sir John Jamison, who wanted the land, and in return used his undoubted influence to get Mr. Lee a large grant - which meant freehold. Mr. Lee was one of a large number of adventurous spirits who followed Governor Macquarie in his triumphal march over the Blue Mountains in 1813, and was one of the applicants for land when the Governor parcelled out lots with regal hand, first to his favourites, and then to "other people."
Not a Grant.
WILLIAM LEE was one of the "other people," and I fancy Mr. George Lee told me the founders of the Suttor and Kite families were among those who had to wait till the appetites of the influential were satisfied. At any rate, William Lee was parcelled out a small piece some distance away from the river flats, and in time to come his stock were too many for his comparatively small holding. Then a very dry season compelled him to shift his cattle, and he was led into Capertee Valley in search of grass and water by an aboriginal retainer. About that time Sir John Jamison was in Bathurst on business. He was a man of hardy and adventurous character, and greatly interested in the country, more so perhaps than even Governor Macquarie himself. Mr. George Lee, who, of course, got all his information from his father - a really great pioneer - was of opinion that Sir John followed the track cut by William Lee more out of curiosity than any idea of despoiling him, but he fell in love with the land, and took it. What he did with it afterwards I am not in a position to state. He probably abandoned it in dry times for fresher fields, as so many pioneer squatters did. At any rate, Mr. Lee was down in that valley prior to 1828, and his son said he was the first white man in it, as he surely was the first in Bylong Valley. The statement about one acre of Bylong being worth a square mile of Capertee is, of course, a mere figure of speech, and at best only a re-echo. The statement about Umbiella being a Lawson grant is wrong, according to Mr. Jamison. I first heard of Umbiella from its then owner, Mr. Willie Lawson, who gave me to understand that his grandfather or great-grandfather owned it, and I jumped to the conclusion that, like so many other Lawson properties, it was a Crown grant4
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1917
22 March 1917
Glen Alice
I understand that Umbiella Estate will very shortly change hands, as the intended buyer is to inspect the property next week, with a view of purchasing same. Should the sale be accomplished the residents will be very sorry to lose Mr. Pitt as he is highly respected for his generosity and good feeling towards the benefit of the locality5
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1925
6 August 1925
LUCERNE PLOTS.
Mr. Thorn, of Umbiella Station, has some nice lucerne plots along the Capertee river, which are showing well just now6
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1926
21 June 1926
Mr. E. H. Rayner has completed a fine concrete homestead at Umbiella, Rylstone, for Mr. W. A. Horne7
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23 December 1926
Glen Alice Races
The Amateur Picnic Race Club meeting will be held on the Umbiella course, Glen Alice, on January 1, and a great day's sport is assured. Several very handsome trophies have been presented by prominent district residents, and will be keenly competed for. As the programme is a lengthy one, a start will be made at 11.45, sharp. Further particulars are advertised8
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1927
3 November 1927
A CLEAN CLIP.
Shearing operations were finished at "Umbiella" station, Glen Alice, on Saturday last, where the sheep are said to be in good condition. The clip was clean and of good long staple. George Hundy, of Crudine, put up the highest tally9
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1932
26 November 1932
IMPROVED HOMEBUSH SALES.
A draft of 267 crossbred suckers, account Mr. W. A. Thorne, Umbiella, Rylstone, sold through Flemington on Thursday made up to 14/3 and 267 averaged 12/10. Goldsbrough, Mort and Co., Ltd., were the selling agents. Other sales by the same firm, were: Account Bede Smith, Mumbil, crossbred lambs 10/; account Tindarey Station, Cobar, 1065 shorn ewes to 8/10, avg. 7/8. The yarding comprised 49,000 and prices were generally 6d. to 9d. better, cattle were also 5/ to 10/ dearer, 2274 being forward10
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1951
8 February 1951
Glen Alice Sports
The sports meeting which, unfortunately, had to be postponed from January 20 because of rain, was held at "Umbiella," Glen Alice, on Saturday. Competitors and spectators came from Moree, Sydney, Portland, Cullen Bullen, Capertee, Kandos, Rylstone and Nannango. There were good fields in all events and it took an outstanding horse to reach the finals. For the third time in succession Mr. Len Agnew, on "Jumbo" won the all-comers' flutter. The flag race was again won by Mr. Reg Grady's "Blue Silk" and the bending race by a schoolgirl, Bridget Burnett, on "Crackajack." who was competing for the first time. In the camp draft the bullocks, which were very fast, proved too good for a number of the competitors but Mr. Harold Kirkland's "Birdieye" showed his superiority in shouldering his beast, and ran out the winner. The throwing at the wicket and nail-driving were well patronised, whilst the children all seemed to en-joy their various events. The Oakwood Cup, which is coni-peted for annually on a point-score basis, was won for the second time by Lynette Jamison's "Bindy," which previously won it in 1949. At the conclusion of a most enjoyable day the president, Mr. Norman Saville, in a few apt words, thanked everyone for their help and then asked Mrs. MacTaggart, wife of the president of the Rylstone-Kandos Show Society, to present the camp draft prizes. Mrs. Reg Webb, (president of the Glen Davis Baby Health Centre, was then asked to present the other prizes. Own Correspondent11
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