PHOTO is of a replica of the Manifold & Bostock Bond Store, part of the Flagstaff Museum at Warrnambool, Victoria.
GEORGE BOSTOCK was born 1826 at Launceston, while the family lived by the South Esk River at Epping Forest, between Launceston and Campbell Town. Nothing is known of George's formative years, except to say that there was always a full house and many visitors. There were three pianos - including a grand, in their home at one time. Friends of Robert, after Rachael's passing, called often to play Backgammon. Some great lines are recorded in the wonderful book 'Clerk of the House' by L.van Andel. There were many convicts, servants and tradesmen over the years who resided at 'Vaucluse' and became part of the industry that kept the self contained village community operating effectively.
Records show 26 persons residing at 'Vaucluse' in 1840. (census ?) The property was eventually expanded to about 8,000 acres. Remnants from those early days were still evident when we visited in 1988 as we came away with a feeling of history and grandeur of an earlier place in time.
GEORGE must have listened intently, as his father told him many stories of the sea and his adventures. Robert himself, had three times, sailed in an old wooden vessel between U.K. & Australia. He was a mariner for some years, before landing 1814 in Sydney Town. By the time George was aged 13, he went, with the support of his father, to work at Port Fairy. His mother had died and 'distant hills were greener' offering much more potential to a young man with a future. Records appear to say, that he lived near the river mouth, but we are unable to confirm detail. However, George lived at 'Leura' with Michael Connolly, who was working in the Whaling Industry at that time with the Griffith family. Michael married 1841 to George's sister Rachael Emily in Tasmania.
Just prior to 1839, John COX had moved to Port Fairy and established the first Bond Store on the waterfront. Wanting to venture into pastoral pursuits, John sold the business to William Rutledge c.1842 which is a extensive story in itself. So George was then employed by Rutledge to enter all vessels coming into the Moyne River. No doubt his father had taught him the ways of the sea and I have letters, written to George by his father Robert, giving him encouragement and advice in ways of business. The letters were delivered by ships between Launceston and Port Fairy.
By 1849 George took possession of 'Eumarella West' Run, containing 10,000 acres at Macarthur, west of Port Fairy and prepared to marry ANN COX born in 1826. They must have met at different times throughout their childhood, as James Cox built Clarendon in 1838. Clarendon was not far north of Vaucluse, but quite far of course, in those days of the horse and buggy along a dirt track. George & Ann married at St.Andrews Anglican Church, Evandale in 1849 and moved to 'Eumarella West' on Eumarella River.
Ann Cox was grand daughter of WILLIAM COX and REBECCA UPJOHN, 'Clarendon', Richmond N.S.W. William Cox built Australia's first road, across Blue Mountains of N.S.W., while Cox's River in the same region is named after him. A concise story of the Cox /Upjohn families, covering a few centuries of clockmaking and seafaring will come on line when completed ??.
My grandfather ROBERT BOSTOCK was born at 'Eumarella West' Run in 1850. Some old papers suggest that George had built a slab hut for the family, down by the Eumarella River. However, by 1852 George sold his run to Robert Jamieson for £2,900 and set his heart on business in Warrnambool. What he achieved in the next few years of his life were more than some achieve in a whole lifetime.
He was certainly an enterprising man, making good use of every opportunity that came his way. George became a partner with Thomas Manifold in Manifold Bostock & Co., and was the working partner for most of those years. Thomas and wife Jane Synnot, often travelled to U.K. while Thomas became M.L.A. for the region at one time. The Synnot family, like Manifold, Barnes and Aitkin families all came to the Western District via Tasmania, where they settled at an earlier time - The Manifolds from England; Synnots from Ireland and Aitkins from Scotland.
George BOSTOCK was the instigator in 1853, of the first meeting of the Roads Board on which he also served in an honorary capacity. In 1853 George purchased land at Lady Bay with the hope that the site would be chosen for the Port of Warrnambool. When permission was granted in 1854 and in partnership with Thomas Manifold, they built the first Bond Store which became part of the Lady Bay Hotel today. A replica of the Bond Store can be see at the Flagstaff Museum on Cannon Hill, while the old Flour Mill was almost opposite the museum site.
SOME TIME LATER George and Thomas, built a larger BOND STORE store in Warrnambool town, which continued for some years after George's death, in the names of his brother and his inlaws AITKIN & PATERSON. I am privileged to hold a photo of the Lady Bay Bond Store and also the later 'grand' Bond Store. The new store was built on the site of the present day 'Village Green' a restful place at the entrance to Warrnambool Art Gallery. Both men were always diligent, while all business agreements were drawn up by their solicitor. I hold some wonderful old documents today, that leave no room for guessing. They were good and trusted friends it seems, up to George's sad decease in 1858.
George interested himself in every aspect of civic life and wanted to improve the lot of all members of the local community. He mostly became motivator and/or co-director in the setting up of many committees. I shall just name a few; Benevolent Assylum; Tamar Fire and Marine Ins.; District Road Board (1854); Trustee with Thomas Manifold of Christ Church W'bool. with £50 to head subscriptions; Director of Western Steam Navigation; Mechanics Institute; Trustee of Villier's Building Society; Gov't approval for site of Botanical Gardens; Steward of first race meeting in Warrnambool and one of first Trustees in 1855. However he died before the first Race Meeting in 1858 was held on the new course.
George Bostock and all his brothers served in different positions, from time to time on Cricket Club Committees. The "History of Warrnambool" by R.Osburne states that 'It is a difficult matter in particularising names, to do strict justice to all, but we cannot help mentioning the Bostocks comprising five brothers (who were a host in themselves) and others."
Many OLD and TREASURED DOCUMENTS are held by me and are really a work of art. The wonderful, original document "This Indenture" made on 28th day of May 1857 between Thomas Bostock, George Bostock and Horace Flower, concerns the lease to Flower, of land held by George and Thomas Bostock. Thomas was at Mackersey's "Greenhill", Tasmania at the time. This land "Twelve Hundred and Eight Four Acres" in Parish of Belfast, County of Villiers, Victoria. This land "Leura Estate" near Goose Lagoon is in three lots with the road to Portland being part of northern boundary and Southern Ocean as the other. On the property today one can see an old stone bridge a little removed from new main road between Portland and Port Fairy.
Another property Ten Acres Three Roods and Thirty Perchs, was bought 3rd September 1853 for £76/11/3. Seventy Six Pounds Eleven Shillings and Threepence by Thomas Manifold and George Bostock. This land is believed to be the site of Ernest Bostock's "Lipook".
As merchants, Manifold & Bostock purchased for £65, the salvage rights of the vessel "Schomberg" which was wrecked on her maiden voyage to Australia. It was said to be insured for £300,000 holding cargo of 2,000 tons of railway track designed for the Geelong-Melbourne line. The 'Bell' of the vessel 'Schomberg' was presented by Manifold & Bostock to the new Catholic School at that time. George purchased the schooner "Lillias" from James Ford Strachan of Geelong. The "Lillias" was wrecked in a storm, near the mouth of the Hopkins River in 1852.
"The Mill" at Mortlake which has become the Shire emblem, is a monument to George. As Manifold & Bostock, George had been operating the Merri Street Flour Mill on Cannon Hill. Bullock teams would draw the grain to Bostock & Manifold's Mill as well as to Plummer's Mill nearby. It is thought George went inland to Mortlake, to build his new mill, so as to escape the continuous moisture of the seaside site. The Mill has seen some renovations in recent times, with partial funding allocated by the National Trust and some by local subscription.
For me, this is a proud memorial to George, who died at age 32 while visiting Campbell Town in Tasmania. It seems he was aware of an illness he had been suffering for a while, as his obituary shows.
Quote "Warrnambool Examiner Friday 11.6.1858....The melancholy intelligence of the decease of Mr.George Bostock of the firm of Manifold & Bostock, on the 2nd instant was received on Wednesday last. Most of our readers are well aware that for the last twelve months Mr.Bostock suffered severely from a fatal disease and when he departed for Tasmania, a few weeks ago, it was generally expected by his friends, that he would never return. Mr.Bostock was universally esteemed in this district, and in him we lose one of our active leading men..".
ANNIE BOSTOCK eventually moved to Darling Street, South Yarra, where she died in 1865 aged 39. My grandfather ROBERT b.1850, their first born, was only 15 years by this time, so it is not known who helped to raise the other children. Most prominent in the lives of all this family was their Uncle Augustus of Warrnambool, who was always there for each and every one of his siblings families, who suffered tragedy throughout those years.
GEORGE and ANN BOSTOCK had issue:-
ROBERT Bostock 1850 Eumarella/1921 Aramac, Queensland, married HESTER Manning 1875 Sydney/1936 Sydney aged 83 - Issue 9, married 2nd GRACE Jago Sarkies 1880 Scotland/1914 Brisbane - Issue 7.
MARY Rachael Bostock 1851 W'bool/1916 Katoomba, married WILLIAM Anderson Adams 1846/1930 Camden aged 83 - Issue 5.
GEORGE Ernest Bostock 1854/1855.
JAMES Cox Bostock 1854/1858.
EMILY Margaret Bostock 1856 W'bool/1938 Toorak, married MONCKTON Davy Synnot 1854/1938 Melbourne - Issue 3.
GEORGE James Bostock 1858/1919 at South Yarra, unmarried.
Evidence shows that only three were married and I have made contact with many of our new relatives, which has been wonderful over the last 15 years or so. I am in contact with family members from most of the lines, marriage and friendship links as well. I thank you all, whoever you are for making this project such a happy experience for both Matthew and I.
"If we did all we were capable of, we would astound ourselves."
