Reginald & Patricia Stanmore
Reginald Stanmore served as a ‘sapper’ during WWII. Sappers were combat engineers who performed a variety of duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, road and airfield construction, and preparing field defences. When he returned home, he married his high school sweetheart, Patricia, and became a grazier at his family’s station, ‘Euralla’.
Claude Barnes
Claude Barnes was the son of John Barnes, who was the original selector of Yarranjerry Station in the 1840s. Claude and his brother Joseph fought in the Citizens’ Bushmen Contingent during the Boer War.
James Carmichael
The Riverine Grazier (21 February 1952) records that James George Carmichael, of Rosehill, Ivanhoe, and his brother, Bob Carmichael, were carriers with bullock teams for a number of years until he bought a block of Keri Station which he called Willow Vale. Here his sister, Jean, kept house for him until he married Mary Smith of Balranald. He sold Willow Vale, and after big bush fires in 1918 had swept through the back country, he bought Rosehill where he ran cattle for a few years before changing to sheep.
Thomas & Iris Kitson
Iris Brookes moved from the Coonamble district to Ivanhoe to work as a governess in the home of Mr. William Kitson. It was there that she married her husband, Thomas Jasper Kitson. Iris was well known for her hospitality and for being an active community worker, with a particular focus on the hospital.
Elsie Stanmore
Elsie Stanmore (nee Kitson) of ‘Eurella’, Ivanhoe, spent most of her life in the back country. Her unbounded hospitality and generosity were known far and wide. In her early days, Elsie had been a teacher and she always took the keenest interest in anything pertaining to school life. Teachers always found her a sympathetic friend. Little children especially loved her and she always seemed happiest when surrounded by little children.
John Flannery
John was born at Wilcannia in 1894 and was educated at the Wilcannia Convent School. During his early life, he was regarded as an athlete and was an outstanding swimmer and rower. He worked as a carrier and became a pioneer of the gypsum industry at Ivanhoe in 1928. He was also a keen supporter of community events.His son, Private John Joseph Flannery, served during WWII.
Thomas & Mary Ellen Kitson
The Western Grazier, 8 October 1948, recorded the passing of one of the pioneering figures of Ivanhoe. The newspaper noted that:‘The death at his late residence on September 16 of Mr. Thomas Jasper Kitson has robbed the district of one of its oldest pioneers and a citizen who was held in very high esteem throughout the Western Division of this State….He came to work on the Mount Hope Copper mines when about 12 years of age and later followed the saw milling trade and later turned his hand to station work in the Mount Hope and Hillston districts where he also was engaged as a shearer. He was also a good blacksmith and carpenter, which trades he was self taught. He was married on June 5, 1895, at the Old Race Course Hotel, Hillston, and resided with his wife until the date of his death. The couple celebrated their gold wedding at their Canally Station property on June 5, 1945 with over 200 guests. Canally had been their home for the past 35 years, which they established to be a very fine property.'
Murray Spinks
The Western Grazier, 20 March 1942, records the following tribute to Murray Spinks.‘It was with deep regret that the passing of Mr. Murray Spinks, at Deniliquin hospital, on Tuesday morning, at the age of 46 years, was received in Ivanhoe. The late Murray Spinks was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. C. Spinks, of the Croydon property, Wilcannia and on the death of his father he took over the management of this dairying property. Later he was in partnership with his brother, Mr. Alfred Spinks, on the Wallenda property in the Ivanhoe district, and about three years ago he became sole owner when his brother sold out his portion to him. The deceased was a P.M. [Past Master] of Lodge Moorabin, and was well-known in Masonic circles. He was also, until recently, a member of the G.U.O.O.F. Loyal Wilcannia Lodge [Grand United Order Original Oddfellows] of which he was a P.N.G. [Past Noble Grand].’Fraternities, such as the Masons and Oddfellows played an important role in regional towns, providing social interaction, support, and a sense of ‘mateship’. These societies had passwords, secret handshakes, and initiation rituals and were also involved in education reforms, temperance, health insurance, and trade unions.
Henry Anderson Linnett
The Western Grazier, September 13, 1946, notes that, Henry was born in Castlemaine, Victoria in 1877 before moving to the Balranald district when just a small boy. He left school at an early age to take over the mail contract of the back country mail, which he conveyed by pack horse for five years. He was a tank sinking contractor for a number of years and did a lot of work on stations in the Balranald and surrounding districts. He also entered into the carrying business with his horse teams.He selected a small grazing property known as Tehuan adjoining his father’s property, Allenvale, and then in 1910 he was allotted a Western Land Lease on Kilfera, which is now known as Springdale, where he brought his family to reside in 1911.Like most members of his family, Henry was always a very keen racing enthusiast and also a good judge of horses and his advice was often sought after. He was a good horseman in his younger days and achieved many successes on horses owned by his family. One in particular, known as ‘Firemaan’, was considered a country champion in those days.
Margaret Linnett
In addtion to her husband, Henry, it is recorded in ‘A Town Called Ivanhoe’ that ‘the person who owned, trained and raced many horses, not only in Ivanhoe, but all over the far West was Mrs Henry Linnett (Margaret) of ‘Springdale’. A Mr. Costello was the trainer and jockey she regularly retained. Her most well known stallion was ‘Royal David’. The fact of being mother of a large family did nothing to dampen her enthusiasm for the sport of kings’.
Malcolm Linnett
The Western Grazier, 28 April 1950, records the tragic event.‘The death occurred by drowning on Thursday, April 20, of Malcolm Linnett (aged 10 years and 5 months), eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. Linnett of Ivanhoe. With other boys he was playing in the silt tank of the catchment area. From reports it would appear that he went out of his depth and not being able to swim, was drowned immediately… Malcolm was brilliant at school and a very promising pianist. He was liked by everyone that knew him and was most popular amongst his school pals who sadly grieved his passing’.
Frederick Milthorpe
Frederick Milthorpe and his family were pioneers of the area and lived at Palapah Station and they were keen supporters of the Travelling School and the Bush Nursing Association Hospital, often holding Gymkhanas and Balls on their property to raise funds.
Alexander McGinty
Alexander McGinty received recognition for the role he played in the search for missing three-year-old boy, Tommy Shields. The three-year-old disappeared from his father’s home, Karwarn, in September 1931 and was eventually located, six days later nearly 50 miles away. Newspaper reports noted that over 100 shearers and shed hands joined the search, however,
Jeffrey Taylor
Jeffrey Taylor was born in Jerilderie in 1920 and served in the Australian Infantry Battalion during WWII. He fought in the steamy jungles of New Guinea for five years and was at the Battle of the Hongorai River against the Japanese Forces in Bougainville, between April and May 1945. Jeffrey received the Military Medal for his bravery, initiative, and distinguished conduct for his role in that campaign.
George & Charlotte Williamson
Born in Scotland in 1829, George Williamson worked as a solicitor’s clerk and then as an employee of the Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway company, where he worked in the accounts department. Around 1856 he emigrated from Scotland to Australia and worked as a bookkeeper and manager at the Ourimbah Steam Saw Mills. He stayed there for three years and married Irishwoman, Sarah Jane Parker, in 1857. Sarah was an accomplished horsewoman and she and George moved to Deniliquin, where George worked as a hawker with a covered wagon before settling in Booligal, where he was a storekeeper and postmaster. Sarah had four children before her tragic death in 1872 following a fall from her horse while pregnant. She was 40 years old.
Duncan Williamson
George and Charlotte Williamson’s youngest son, Duncan, worked as a jackeroo at Kilfera and other local stations as a young man. In 1910, he and his brother Jock, acquired ‘Coolaminyah’ and ‘Orana’ stations, which they ran in partnership until after their marriages in the1920s, when each family took up their own holding.In 1920, Duncan married Clarah Honorah Morrison of Cobar, daughter of Neil Morrison, partner of Morrison Bros. Coaches. He and Clara lived with ‘Granny Williamson’ in Ivanhoe until the original ‘Orana’ homestead was built by Alf Wagenknecht of Wilcannia. During that time Duncan was also running mail coaches from Ivanhoe to Mossgiel, Booligal and other places in his Model T Ford.
Richard Slingsby & James Renshall
Lance Corporal James Joseph Renshall was born at Blayney in 1886, grew up in Trangie, and enlisted with his brother Arthur, in Dubbo for service during WWI. Both served in the First Australian Tunnelling Corps in France, actively serving at Hill 60, Ypres, Belgium.On April 9, 1917, the Red Cross File from No 32 Stationary Hospital reported the following:‘At Hill 60 on the Ypres sector on April 9th the Germans had been bombarding all day, and about 6 p.m. they put up a barrage and came over. Glover, McKay and the two Renshalls were at work in a sap out from the front line. The Germans got through the first line and as far as the supports. When the Germans were driven out the sap had been blown up and there were no signs of the men. If alive they must be prisoners. The only question is whether the Germans took them out before blowing up the sap..’.Another Red Cross File from Sapper C. McDonald, reported the following:‘He was a L/Cpl, and I knew him and his brother, Sapper A.M. Renshall, quite well. His mate, Sapper R. Slingsby, of No. 3. Section, of this company, now up line, who worked with him for a long time in Australia told me he had received a card from him from Germany where he is POW’.The two brothers were both wounded and taken to Gerfangenlager, Dulmen POW camp and sadly 24 year old Arthur, who received a shell wound to his lung, died there. Following the Armistice, James was repatriated on 26 December 1918 and recovered at Ripon Camp in North Yorkshire over December 1918. Following discharge, he was entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Charles Anderson
Charles Anderson was born in Sweden and came to Australia as a very young man. He was a carpenter and also worked on the Hay/Carrathool railway. He worked in the back country for about 60 years, constructing many of the significant early buildings of Ivanhoe, including the first school, police station, and Robertson’s house.
John & Roseannah Hughes
John William Hughes was born 5 miles from Ivanhoe in 1878 and lived his life at Ivanhoe and Wilcannia. In 1915 he married Roseannah Mitselberg, of Wilcannia, and together they raised seven boys and three girls. John spent most of his life as a contract drover and for 20 years conducted the mail service between Ivanhoe and Wilcannia with a horse team, and later the first motor lorry to be used on mail services in the area. He was also a very successful amateur rider in his younger days.
Jim & Bette Robertson
William Robertson, known as Jim, and his wife Elizabeth, known as Bette, were managers of ‘W’ Tree Station about 70 miles from Ivanhoe when their three-year-old son, Ron, was lost in the bush for two days. A large party of 150 people conducted a search with the assistance of five ‘black trackers’, including Manny Johnson, Charlie Burke, and Martin Webster. The child was located alive in very rough country approximately 18 miles from his home and was suffering from badly blistered feet and exposure, as the temperatures were as cold as 2 degrees Celsius each night.Jim Robertson was a very generous benefactor of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1981 for his services to the local government and community.
John Dewar
In January 1939, Ivanhoe was struck by a devastating heat wave and the ‘post-office thermometer registered over 100 for thirty consecutive days’ (which would be over 37 degrees Celsius). Tragically, the heatwave killed three people, a 63 year old man, a four month old baby, and 80 year old, John Dewar, a resident of the district and father of Mrs McGinty, who passed away at Edenhope, Ivanhoe.
William 'Bill' Williamson
The following tribute to William Williamson was shared with the Australian War Memorial on 8 June 2018.Known to friends and family as “Bill”, William Williamson was born on 28 July 1920, at Nuntherungie Station, in the White Cliffs district of New South Wales, the youngest son of Bernard Henry and Mary Cawker Williamson.After attending Orange High School, Williamson worked with his father at Abbotsford Station, near Ivanhoe.On 23 of June 1941, a month before his 21st birthday, Williamson travelled to Paddington to enlist in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force. He joined the 1st Field Training Regiment in Sydney in July, and had his final leave in October, during which he was given a well-attended public farewell at the Ivanhoe Memorial Hall.On 10 January 1942, Gunner Williamson sailed from Sydney with reinforcements for the 2/15th Field Regiment, bound for Singapore.By the start of January, the Japanese had advanced through Thailand and most of Malaya. The regiment’s gunner had been in almost constant action, providing artillery support for the infantry withdrawal along the Malayan Peninsula towards Singapore.Towards the end of the month, the last of the Allied troops had crossed the causeway and reached Singapore. Among some of the last to cross were troops from the 2/15th, who formed the last Allied artillery units in action on the peninsula.Having crossed the causeway, which was subsequently blown, the regiment was deployed to the western area in support of the 8th Division’s 22nd Brigade.
Allan & Beatrice Whitchurch
H. Glover, in her book, ‘A Town called Ivanhoe’ records the following information related to this couple.‘In the 1940s Deaconess Beatrice Clark came to Ivanhoe and resided there 2-3 years, renting living quarters in the disused Presbyterian Manse. She, like the earlier Deaconess, did all she could to nurture and foster the church of England in Ivanhoe; conducting Sunday School, instructing in the Anglican faith, holding services etc. indeed she exercised her Ministry to the full and in so doing endeared herself to the entire community of Ivanhoe and district.
Alf Stead
Alf’s father Jim Stead was a drover and Alf used to help him on the big droving contracts to Queensland, being away for five months at a time.Alf was an excellent cricket player, and an active and popular community member.Private Alf Stead married Miss Susie Vox in December 1941 and enlisted in February 1942. He worked as a driver in New Guinea during WWII and fought alongside his local mates, including Gordon Gillespie who was in the same unit.
Basil Thomas
Basil was born in the Clare Valley in South Australia and enlisted in the AIF in Bendigo in 1939, serving as a private throughout WWII until 1948. He was one of the Rats of Tobruk, serving in the 9th Division.
John Robert Carse Robertson
John ‘Jack’ Robertson was born in Edinburgh Scotland in May 1910 to J.T. ‘Jock’ Robertson and Hellen Robertson. He moved to Ivanhoe as a child with his parents and enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in May 1910. He was a Leading Aircraftman during the war and worked alongside his father and brothers in their transport business on his return.
J.T. & Hellen Robertson
John (Jock) was the founder of J.T. Robertson trucking company. He left Scotland and travelled via Canada to arrive in Sydney around 1911. Hellen arrived a year later with their two boys, Jack and William. John worked around Yenda driving a tractor engine, ploughing the farms for the new settlers and then drove a Leyland truck, carting stock for some of the stations into Queensland. He also drove the very wealthy pastoralist, Ben Chaffey, about in his Silver Ghost Rolls Royce and was an overseer on one of his stations. In 1926 Chaffey encouraged Jock to go to Ivanhoe and enter the carrying business, which he did with great success. J.T. Robertsons Road Transport carried wool, sheep, and cattle from the stations to the rail at Ivanhoe, which then took the produce to ready markets in Sydney and Melbourne. Early in the 1930s Robertsons Transport started the first road trains in NSW.
