William Henry Matthews

WILLIAM HENRY MATTHEWS (1845-1903)

William Henry Matthews was christened 21 June 1845 at Grumbler, Sancreed and he migrated to Port Philip aboard the “ Nelson” aged 4. He arrived 17 November 1849. He grew up in Moyston where his father and brother worked as gold miners. In June 1864 he is recorded as owning 3 £25 shares in the Extended North Star Company on Campbell’s Reef, Moyston. This is quite an investment for a 19 year old.

On 21 July 1873 he married Sarah Warren at Moyston and they had ten children, all born at Moyston.   Jane (1874), Henry (1876), Barbara (1878), Mabel (1881), William (1883), Ralph (3 December 1885), George (1888), Rose Ellen (1890), Lucy (1892) and Alec (1895).

After the demise of the quartz mines at Campbell’s Reef around 1872 he and his brother continued mining. They became partners in a quartz crushing battery, probably with their brother-in-law, Robert Crawford and by the 1880’s were mining at the old Londonderry Lead at Jallukar.

His brother and partner in the mining venture, James, died on 10 March 1896. William Henry died on 27 August 1903 at Moyston. Their interests in the mining lease was taken over by a cooperative formed by James’ sons Frederick and Charles William and William Henry’s sons Henry and George. They operated the lease on the Londonderry Lead until at least 1910.

His Estate was valued at £209/6/0. This consisted of property under lease or licence £20, house £50, half interest in a mining plant (£180) £90, 3 horses at £5 each, 1 cow £4, 1 wagonette £10, harness £2, furniture £5 and an interest in the Estate of his deceased father yet to go through probate £13/6/0.