Robert Kelly

Robert Kelly was born September 1826 Ballinastoe, Parish of Calary, County Wicklow, Ireland as stated by a document in the Kelly family Bible handwritten by Reverend A. Marshall dated 27th March 1851 which reads:

'The register of the baptism of Robert Kelly cannot now be found, but from credible testimony I can vouch that he was born and baptised at Calary in the month of September 1826.'

Robert was the eldest of eleven children born to Thomas and Elizabeth Kelly (nee Taylor). Thomas was a tenant farmer on the estate of Lord Powerscourt. Elizabeth was purportedly of Scottish descent. As yet we have not been able to ascertain birth or death dates for either parent.

25th March 1851 Robert Kelly and Mary Ann Delamere under the auspices of Reverend A. Marshall, according to the rites and ceremonies of the Established Church of England and Ireland, were married in the Calary Church, County Wicklow.

Within three months after their marriage, on the 16th June 1851, we find Robert Kelly and Mary Ann (nee Delamere) on board the ship ‘Reliance’ sailing from Plymouth, Devonshire, England, immigrating to South Australia.

We don’t know why they made this momentous decision to leave behind everything they knew to start their married life in far off Australia, a British colonial outpost still in its infancy. But what we do know, is that Ireland had been in the deadly grip of the Potato Famine since about 1845 and it was the lower classes who suffered most. As tenant farmers under English rule the Kelly’s were down on the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder.

Since its introduction the potato had increasingly become the dietary staple of the general Irish population. Commonly, tenants of the English ruling class estates such as Lord Powerscourt’s had to work for their landlords in return for a small patch of land to grow enough food for their own families. These small holdings of land were not large enough for crop growing or livestock grazing, and as such the cultivation of the humble potato became the preferred option for year round sustenance for most families. So when a fungus began decimating successive Irish potato crops, the resulting starvation and economic hardship saw the Irish population decline by approximately 25%. Historians estimating that up to 1 million people died and another 1 million more people emigrated.

Ireland continued to suffer de-population even as the effects of the Potato Famine began to wane come the 1850s. Many young Irish families saw brighter prospects for their future abroad, emigrating to America and to a lesser extent Australia. We can speculate that as a newlywed couple Robert and Mary Ann were in this category and the offer of free passage and gainful employment from the Colonisation Commissioners of the South Australian province was the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ to escape from the hardships both recent and historical, that they and their families had endured in Ireland.

In 1834 South Australia became the only colony authorised by an act of parliament, and which was intended to be developed at little to no cost to the British Government. Unlike New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia there would be no transportation of convicts to the South Australian colony to be used for labour. Instead a group led by Edward Gibbon Wakefield (the Wakefield Vision) resolved to start a colony based on free settlement where the granting of free land to settlers as had happened in other colonies would instead be offered for sale. The proceeds of the land sales would be used solely to transport labourers to the colony free of charge, who were responsible and skilled workers rather than convicts. It was also decided that land prices needed to be high enough so that workers who saved to buy land of their own remained in the workforce long enough to avoid a labour shortage.

After enduring three months under sail aboard the ‘Reliance’, Robert and Mary finally made landfall in Port Adelaide, South Australia on the 13th September 1851. Four months later, on the 14th January 1852 at Pine Forest (now Kilburn, a suburb just to the North of Central Adelaide) their first child was born, a boy. He was named Thomas and was baptised on March 1852 at the Holy Trinity Anglican church, Adelaide. This is the oldest church in South Australia.

Subsequently their second child, a girl was born on the 13th May 1853. She was named Elizabeth. Their third child Jane was born on the 9th November 1855 at Islington (Kilburn) and her baptism was registered on the 21st December 1855 at the Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide. Their fourth child, another girl, Sarah Ann was born on the 6th October 1856.

We don’t know what occupation/s Robert Kelly undertook in these early first years to support his family, but by 1858 he and his family were anecdotally living in the Light River area about 10 miles West of Gawler, (the first township established outside of Adelaide) some 27 miles North of Adelaide. At this time twins Robert and Jeremiah were born on the 20th October 1858 and their father Robert Kelly was described as being a dairy farmer. Robert and Jeremiah were baptised at St. George’s Church of England, Gawler on the 20th February 1859.

Towards the end of 1859 along with two other families, the Leach’s and Martin’s, Robert and Mary Ann set out to travel overland to Victoria in bullock drays. With them went all their belongings, their cattle and young family of six, the oldest seven years and the youngest, twins, less than twelve months old. At one stage it is said that the cattle had wandered off, and until they were found, the babies suckled on cheese wrapped in butter muslin. To protect them from the incessant mosquitoes, Robert and Jeremiah the infant twins were kept in a meat safe during the trek.

Encumbered with a young family their journey would have been long and arduous, travelling through long stretches of inhospitable and largely uninhabited land, except for the local indigenous aboriginal people. But for the guidance of friendly aborigines leading them through their territories, it is questionable whether the Kelly’s and the other families’ journey would have ended successfully. It is said that Robert traded beads and tobacco with the aborigines in appreciation of their leading them to water holes along the way.

Sometime in early 1860 they arrived in the Central Victorian goldfield districts, first settling near Mt. Moliagul. In about June 1860 Mary Ann, their seventh child was born at the nearby McIntyre’s diggings. Her baptism was registered on the 4th June 1860 at St. Augustine’s, Church of England, Inglewood. Unfortunately she was to die ten months later at Inglewood on the 15th of April 1861. There are listed on her death certificate, two predisposing causes for her death, the first, dentitis and the second was dysenterie. She was buried at the Kingower Cemetery, location unknown.

Isaac Kelly their eighth child was born on the 4th December 1861, also at McIntyre’s. He was baptised at St. Augustine’s, Church of England, Inglewood, on the 3rd February 1862. We are unaware of Robert Kelly’s activities during this period in the McIntyre’s area, although Isaac’s birth certificate does state Robert’s profession, still as a dairyman.

The local goldfields were still a hive of activity although the majority of the initial, more easily won alluvial gold deposits had diminished. Prospectors were now beginning to focus their attention on chasing their golden dreams deeper into the ground and quartz reef mining, particularly at nearby Inglewood was making headlines throughout the colony. In November 1860 there were recorded 4,500 men employed in quartz mining in Inglewood, more than any other field in Victoria at that time and by the mid 1860s the population of the Inglewood goldfield was estimated to be greater than 40,000 and commonly being referred to as the ‘City in the Scrub’.

It is not inconceivable that Robert Kelly tried his hand at some prospecting, because as we may today buy a tattslotto ticket, if you were to strike it lucky you could set your family up and live very comfortably, but alas as we also know, you cannot hang your hat on that dream and in 1863 we find the Kelly family had moved on to Spring Creek, the Inglewood Commons (present day Kurting.) probably in search of better pastoral prospects.

Child number nine, William ‘Willie’ Charles James Kelly is recorded being born while they were there on the 8th December 1863 and baptised at St. Augustine’s, Church of England, Inglewood on the 26th December 1863.

Finally in 1865 they arrived at Powlett Plains. It is at this time that wealthy merchant, land and stock speculator Hugh Glass had thrown open one of his large pastoral runs for selection.

Previously in November 1861 the head of the Victorian Lands Department, Charles Gavan Duffy had successfully passed a new Land Act through parliament, which was aimed at providing settlers with good land at a low price. Subsequent amendments to Duffy’s Act were made over the next several years, but the general premise of land selection was to provide the setting apart of large agricultural areas, within which land could be selected at a uniform price of one pound per acre or alternatively conditions were imposed to the effect that certain improvements should be made. The selector had to reside on the land, fence it and cultivate a certain proportion of it and after a designated period of time, the selector could purchase the land outright or obtain a further nominal lease with the option of purchasing the land at any time.

Robert Kelly is recorded as having selected land, the lease dated 23rd August 1865. They first settled close to Hope Creek, a tributary of the nearby Loddon River before later selecting more land on the Western side of the creek and establishing a permanent wooden homestead and out-buildings. They were to call their home ‘Corumbene’, an aboriginal word meaning ‘Place of Rest’.

Below is a transcription by Gordon Arblaster of his mother’s (Lexie Arblaster (nee Body), daughter of Martin Body and Jane Body (nee Kelly) handwritten recollections of the Kelly’s ‘Corumbene’ homestead, compiled circa 1970s:

The homestead was weatherboard and eventually comprised three dwellings with a total of eleven rooms and a storeroom. The main house facing the front gates was 6 rooms, a sitting room, dining room and 4 bedrooms. At right angles to this was the very large kitchen, with a storeroom off the back verandah. The cooking area was at one end and the eating area at the other. Flies were a menace. There were huge wire covers to place over the cooked joints etc.At the back of the kitchen there was the large storeroom where bags of flour, sugar, potatoes etc. were kept. At the side of the kitchen was a large brick oven, in which, when it had been properly heated, loaves of bread were baked, meat roasted and cakes cooked. Later cooking was done in a wood-fired cast iron stove in the kitchen. Near the brick oven was the well from which water was pumped. The well never ran dry. The third building called ‘The boys’ house’, was at right angles to the kitchen, and had a small sitting room and three bedrooms. At the rear of ‘the boys’ house’, was the dairy, entered by going down several steps. Here the milk in large dishes was kept, and also the butter etc. There was no laundry, the washing was done in tubs on the back verandah. Washing was boiled in a copper in the backyard, lifted out with a wooden copper stick, rinsed in cold water in the tubs then wrung out by hand.

Robert and Mary Ann Kelly had four more children. Child number ten was Mary Ann Kelly born on the 8th January 1866 Powlett Plains and baptised 8th February 1866 St. Augustine’s Church of England, Inglewood. Their eleventh child was Grahamina ‘Minnie’ Kelly born on the 10th August 1867 Powlett Plains and baptised 8th September 1867 St. Augustine’s Church of England, Inglewood.

Child number twelve was a boy named George Kelly born on the 19th February 1870 Powlett Plains and baptised 4th October 1870 St. Augustine’s Church of England, Inglewood. Their last child and thirteenth was Edith born on the 22 April 1873 Powlett Plains and baptised 11th August 1873 St. Augustine’s, Inglewood.

In true pioneering spirit Robert Kelly set to clearing, fencing and cultivating his land selection at Powlett Plains, becoming a successful farmer/grazier, prospering and eventually taking up more land for the benefit of his six sons who would also carry on successful farming pursuits.

This was later verified by Robert Kelly’s niece Mary Walker in a letter written by her, to family back in Ireland. The excerpt from the letter dated 30th November 1903 reads “Uncle Robert has left a large family, six sons and six daughters, the sons are all married but one, only two of the girls are married, they have plenty of money, also land and stock.”

In fact within a few years of settling at Powlett Plains, Robert Kelly must have been doing very well for himself and his family, because although anecdotally there is no verbal family history to suggest Robert was even slightly, interested in the allure of the nearby goldfields, it is however, to be noted in the Inglewood Advertiser, dated the 20th February 1872 that Robert Kelly, Powlett, farmer, held in the newly formed Malabar Mining Company, 1250 shares at 10 shillings each, a tidy sum for its day.

Newspaper Clippings

• Inglewood Advertiser 26th July 1870: Powlett Plains Farmers’ Common: I hereby give notice that I have made application to the Shire Council of Korong for a special license to run twenty head of cattle on the above Common. Robert Kelly. July 25th 1870.
• Inglewood Advertiser 30th December 1870: NEW YEAR’S RACES AND SPORTS at GUILFOYLE’S, POWLETT PLAINS. Monday, January 2nd 1871.
• Inglewood Advertiser 3rd January 1871: The New Year was inaugurated at Guilfoyle’s by the usual race meeting, and the beautiful weather tempted a number of the lovers of sport to assemble on the picturesque racecourse. The course was enlivened by the presence of the fair sex, who came on horseback, in cart or buggy, to view the friendly, but exciting equine contests. The sport was commenced by a contest for the Farmer’s Purse (4 guineas) – 1 ½ mile. Mr Cole’s Toryboy, 1st; Mr Kelly’s Loddon Lass, 2nd; Mr Day’s Outcast, 3rd : This was an exciting race between Loddon Lass and Outcast for second place – the position of Toryboy never being in doubt. In the straight run home Loddon Lass, having passed Outcast, made a very game attempt to collar the horse, though without success.
• Inglewood Advertiser 13th January 1874: Tenders Wanted. For one or two miles of Chock and Log fencing, four logs. Logs to be not less than 6 inches at the small end, and 16 feet long; the top chock to be 1 foot through, and the bottom one 10 inches, and all well notched. Tenders to be left at this office, or with Robert or Thomas Kelly, Powlett Plains, before Wednesday 21st January.
• Bendigo Advertiser 11th January 1877: Our Inglewood correspondent writes:- The first considerable consignment of sheep from Inglewood took place on Monday, 200 having been forwarded by Mr. Robert Kelly of Powlett Plains.
• Bendigo Advertiser 26th September 1877: LODDON VALLEY JOTTINGS. From our own correspondent:- Passing onto Hope Creek, on which a new bridge has been erected, another Hotel and Post Office is reached, a first rate stand and much used by teamsters, the Landlord Mr. Shaw. Proceeding on I reached the older settlements on Powlett Plains, with Messrs. Coutts Bros. new residence on the right about a mile or so towards Salisbury Plains. Here we see evidence of real substantial prosperity. This land was taken up some seven years since by Messrs. Watts, Kelly, Guilfoyle, Leitch and others, whose most comfortable homesteads may be seen on either side of the road. Both oats and wheat are grown hereabouts, with good returns.
• Bendigo Advertiser 6th December 1878: Our correspondent writes:- Reports come from all quarters of the prevalence of rust in the wheat. The best looking crops I have seen are those belonging to Mr. Ryan and Mr. R. Kelly, both of Powlett. Judging from the appearance of them they ought to yield from 20 to 30 bushels to the acre.
• Inglewood Advertiser 8th August 1879: Shire of Korong. – To the ratepayers of the South Riding. In response to a numerously signed requisition, desiring me to stand for the coming election, I have much pleasure in announcing myself a candidate for the seat in the Council, rendered vacant by the retirement, by effluxion of time, of one of the members for the South Riding. If I have the honour to be returned, it will be my earnest endeavour to, as far as lays in my power, see that this riding will get a fair share of the shire funds. Yours faithfully, Robert Kelly, Powlett.
• Inglewood Advertiser 15th August 1879: Korong Shire Election. Hall...283 votes, Cameron...207 votes, Kelly...170 votes: The election in the South Riding of this shire yesterday resulted in the re-election of the retiring candidate, Mr. Rev. W. Hall, by a substantial majority, and hereby proved that he still has a strong body of supporters. Mr. Cameron’s chances were destroyed by the candidature of Mr. Kelly, who polled well when his late appearance in the field was taken into consideration.
• Bendigo Advertiser 27th August 1880: Our travelling reporter says:- One paddock of 100 acres in particular, belonging to Mr. R. Kelly of Powlett, contains a really magnificent crop of wheat, being about 20 inches in height, with a broad fleshy leaf and of vigorous growth in every respect. It is certainly by far the best crop I have seen this season.
• Inglewood Advertiser 13th December 1884: A wonderful escape from serious if not fatal injury was experienced on Thursday by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kelly, of Powlett. They were coming into Inglewood, Mr. Kelly driving a pair of horses, and when coming down the Maxwell’s hill one of the horses fell suddenly, pitching forward clean upon its nose and then rolling over upon its side. The other horse shied round suddenly, and the result was that in “a flash” Mr. and Mrs. Kelly were thrown out violently upon the road, while the buggy was turned completely upside down. Mr. Kelly fell upon his head, but the force of the blow was broken by a stiff hat, and he escaped with a severe shaking, as did also his wife. The horse which fell was cut in several places, and its companion made a clean bolt, after demolishing the pole fixings, being captured by Geo. Mason at the Grant Street railway gate.
• Inglewood Advertiser 14th May 1885: Mr Robert Kelly, the well known Powlett farmer, is reported as being very ill.
• Inglewood Advertiser 29th August 1885: The annual sales of stud sheep, held in Melbourne this week, have caused a considerable amount of interest, and high prices were obtained. Amongst the local buyers were Messrs. R. Kelly, of Powlett and the Coutts Bros. Messrs. Kelly and Coutts Bros. bought Merino rams and ewes, and the former included in his purchase a valuable Lincoln ram.
• Bendigo Advertiser 13th November 1885: Our travelling reporter writes:- Northward from Inglewood it had been feared that the late hot winds, added to the lengthened drought, would have very seriously injured the grain crops, but the damage done is not so great as anticipated. In the parish of Powlett Mr. Robert Kelly will have a very large yield.
• Inglewood Advertiser 27th February 1886: The freehold property of Mr. Henry Bouchier, to sell by auction, on Thursday, 4th March on the ground, Powlett, at 12 o’clock. 960 acres of rich agricultural land.
• Inglewood Advertiser 6th March 1886: On Thursday Mr. Thomas Morrow held a very successful clearing sale at Powlett, under instructions from Mr. H. Bouchier. The land was purchased by Mr. Robt. Kelly, at 4 pounds, 10 shillings an acre. ( this purchase would form a large part of Isaac Kelly’s (his son) land holdings)
• Inglewood Advertiser 5th July 1887: Powlett. – The result of the lambing on Messrs. R. Kelly and Sons’ estate has been ascertained and is very satisfactory. Ninety-seven per cent of lambs has been obtained from crossbred ewes lambing to merino rams, and eighty-nine from merino ewes to Lincoln rams.
• Inglewood Advertiser 30th August 1887: FOR SALE. TWO and FOUR-TOOTH HIGH CLASS MERINO RAMS, bred from picked ewes by champion prize ram. Can be seen in the wool till the middle of October. Apply to R. Kelly, Powlett.
• Inglewood Advertiser 12th November 1887: Mr. R. Kelly, of Powlett, lost a brood mare during the recent stormy weather, presumably through a lightning stroke. The mare was found lying dead, with its foal standing alongside.
• Inglewood Advertiser 4th April 1888: On Easter Monday a pleasant day was spent at Mount Korong by a number of persons who journeyed there to take part in a day’s outing provided by the Messrs. and Misses Kelly and Mr. and Mrs. John Coutts, assisted by several others. Invitations had been kindly given to a few friends, who readily responded thereto, and were more than pleased with the kindness and courtesy shown them. A really splendid spread was provided under the shade of the trees and in the afternoon “the mount was done” by those who felt inclined for the exertion. The different parties journeyed home in the evening with kindly feelings towards their generous entertainers.
• Inglewood Advertiser 23rd June 1888: The carcase of an immense pig has been on view for the last day or two at the shop of Messrs. Leigh and Smellie, butchers. It weighed 600 pounds, was two years and a half old, and was bred by Mr. R. Kelly, of Powlett.
• The Argus 18th September 1888: BRIDGEWATER, Sept. 17. – Stock Movements – 300 fat wethers and lambs passed through on Saturday from the Powlett district, travelling to Sandhurst market, R. Kelly owner, consigned to J. C. Walker and Co.
• Inglewood Advertiser 19th November 1889: We are informed that Mr. R. Kelly, of Powlett Plains, obtained the top price for the season amongst local woolgrowers at Thursday’s Melbourne sales, some of his clip selling at 13 ¼ d (per pound) and other lots reaching 12d. The wool is said to have been in splendid order.
• The Australasian 17th May 1890: BRIDGEWATER, May 12. – Stock Movements – 500 store sheep passed through here on the 8th inst. from Sandhurst, on route to Powlett, Mr. R. Kelly owner, W. C. Kelly in charge.
• Inglewood Advertiser 1st July 1890: Mr. Robert Kelly, the well known Powlett grazier and farmer, had a very narrow escape from serious injury on Saturday afternoon. He was riding home from the meeting of the ploughing match committee held on that day, when his horse, an old servant, suddenly showed signs of restiveness. Mr. Kelly pulled it up short, when the animal’s hind legs slipped underneath its body, and it rolled over bodily, falling across its rider. Several people who were looking on rushed to the spot, fearing the worst, but it was found that fortunately Mr. Kelly had fallen upon very soft ground, which gave way under the combined weight of horse and rider, its yielding qualities saving the latter from any serious injury.
• Inglewood Advertiser 9th August 1890: At the Melbourne sales of horse stock this week, Mr. Robert Kelly’s well known thoroughbred horse Eclipse, foaled 1886, by Planet out of a Meteor mare, was sold to Mr. John Makeham, of Mysia, for 70 guineas. The purchaser was offered and refused 90 pd. for the horse before it left the yard.
• Inglewood Advertiser 19th January 1892: Messrs. R. Kelly and Sons, of Powlett, have now completed their harvest, the results being very satisfactory. In wheat, 400 acres returned an average of about 4 bags. In oats, 90 acres gave an average of 6 bags, 40 acres being self sown.
• Inglewood Advertiser 5th August 1892: ‘WATERLOO DAY’ AT POWLETT. About 19 residents of Powlett ‘shouldered arms’ in battle array at the Powlett creamery on Wednesday morning, for the purpose of repelling the invasion and putting a stop to the ravages of the hares in that district. The ‘soldiers’ started in an Easterly direction, where the enemy were said to be lying in ambush, over the properties of Messrs. Leech and Guilfoyle. After thoroughly routing the enemy the attacking troupe headed in the direction of the homestead of Mr. R. Kelly, which was reached about 1 o’clock, where the regiment was royally treated by the squire and his sons to a capital luncheon, immediately after which the alarm was again sounded, and the battle proceeded and continued until half-past 5 in the evening. Some good marksmen, and also some very bad took part in the raid, and altogether 125 ‘little tails’ were ‘told’ as the result of the battle. The hero of the campaign was Private George Kelly, who fought with great heroism, and captured no less than 21 from the ranks of the enemy, while his brother Jeremiah (better known in the corps by the sobriquet of ‘Jerry’) obtained second place of distinction with 9. Privates T. Lovell and Isaac Kelly dividing third honours with 8 captives each. ‘Waterloo’ is to be fought over again on Wednesday next, the troops to assemble on the estate of Mr. John Coutts. (see Robert Kelly jnr. newspapers clippings 12th August 1892)
• Inglewood Advertiser 2nd September 1892: ‘WATERLOO DAY’ AT POWLETT. The residents of Powlett and surrounding districts met on Saturday last for a final day’s shooting at the hares for this season, and got the best day’s sport yet had. There were 25 shootists, who travelled over the estates of the Messrs. Kelly and C. Isaac, and surrounding farms, most of the game being got in the paddocks of the Messrs. Kelly. At midday the sportsmen were treated to a capital luncheon kindly provided by Mr. Kelly, who drove out to where the shooters were camped, about 5 miles from the homestead. When the tally took place in the evening it was found that 300 rabbits and hares had been shot. We learn that the reason for discontinuing the shooting is that the slaughter has been so great that it is almost impossible now to get anything like a good day’s sport without a great deal of walking.
• Inglewood Advertiser 11th November 1892: Shearing has now been completed at most of the sheds in this district and in some instances with very satisfactory results. The Messrs. Kelly, of Powlett, are amongst this number, their prize sheep especially yielding splendid fleeces. In merinos a ram that took first prize at the Inglewood show gave a fleece which weighed 24 ½ lbs, while a first prize ewe (4 tooth) returned a fleece of 15 ½ lbs. From a 2-tooth ewe, which took first prize and champion at Wedderburn and first at Inglewood, a 12 ½ lb fleece was taken, while a 4-tooth and a 2-tooth ewe gave 13 ½ lbs and 11 ½ lbs respectively. These two ewes took first prizes in the local classes at the Inglewood show.
• Inglewood Advertiser 25th July 1893: POWLETT. (From a correspondent.) The lambing has been very good in this district this year. I learn that the flocks of Mr. R. Kelly have given a very good percentage. Crossbreds and comebacks gave 90, and merinos 85-90 per cent. Mr. J. Coutts obtained a percentage of from 75-90. It is estimated that fully 10 per cent of lambs were destroyed by foxes in this district.
• Inglewood Advertiser 11th August 1893: A ‘Waterloo Day’ took place at Powlett on Friday last, over Messrs. Kelly and Isaac’s land, when sixteen sportsmen had a capital day’s sport, no less than 260 hares and rabbits falling before the ‘knights of the trigger.’ The biggest scorer was George Kelly with 37, Geo. Barber coming next with 31. Mr. Robt. Kelly provided the sportsmen with a capital luncheon, which was much appreciated.
• Inglewood Advertiser 18th November 1902: We would remind our readers of the Free-trade versus Protection debate to take place at Powlett tomorrow night, in the late Mr. Robert Kelly’s barn. The debate is under the auspices of the Powlett Debating Club. The public are invited.
• Inglewood Advertiser 22nd April 1902: (ROBERT KELLY died on the 21st of April 1902) Death of Mr. Robert Kelly. It will come as a great surprise to many of our readers to learn of the death of Mr. Robert Kelly, the well and widely known grazier and farmer, of Powlett. Very few, even of his intimate friends, were aware of his illness, consequently when it became known in Inglewood yesterday afternoon, that he had died at his home in the morning, quite a shock was caused. The deceased’s illness was of but a brief duration, dating from only Thursday last. For some time he had been a sufferer from asthma, but of late he had been in better health than for some time previously. On Thursday, however, he took to his bed, suffering from an attack of acute pneumonia, from which he never rallied, and died, as stated, yesterday morning, at the age of 75 years. Mr. Kelly was one of the oldest residents of the Powlett district, and was a colonist of 51 years. He arrived in Adelaide from the North of Ireland in 1851, and came to Victoria about 1860. In 1865 he selected in the Powlett district, and successfully followed farming and grazing pursuits. During his long residence he became widely known and respected, being upright and thoroughly honest and straightforward in all his dealings. He leaves a widow and grown up family of 12 sons and daughters, all of whom remain in the district. The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon, leaving the deceased’s late residence at Powlett for the Inglewood cemetery.
• Inglewood Advertiser 25th April 1902: ROBERT KELLY. The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, and the high esteem in which the deceased was held was shown by the very large attendance, sorrowing friends of the family attending from very long distances. The procession was one of the longest yet seen in the district. At the grave the burial service of the Church of England was read by the Revs. R. Hayward and Allan.
• The Argus 26th May 1902: WILLS AND BEQUESTS Robert Kelly, late of Powlett, farmer, who died April 21, and his will dated November 12, 1898. He left real estate valued at 10,234 pounds, and personal estate valued at 4,843 pounds, in trust for the benefit of his widow and children (in particular for his four unmarried daughters).

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See also: The Descendants of Robert Kelly and Mary Ann Delamere: Every day of your life is a page in your history (2015) by Trevor Kelly, Neville Kelly and Shirley Stone http://www.librarything.com/work/18909415/summary/137570395