| 2. |  SMALE Thomas, JP was born Abt 1823, North Tamerton CON (son of SMALE Thomas and SHAPLIN Grace); died 24 May 1883, Mount Moriac VIC; was buried 27 May 1883, Barrabool Hills Cemetery, Highton VIC. Other Events:
- _UID: 577C4855513F4F489423B5BDB90B5407DF4C
- Baptism: 1 Jun 1823, North Tamerton CON
- Census: 6 Jun 1841, North Tamerton CON; : 15y
- Occupation: 1851, 12 Mill Pleasant, Devonport DEV; Stonemason/Farmer/Contracter
- Census: 30 Mar 1851, 12 Mill Pleasant, Devonport DEV
- Emigration: 19 Aug 1854, Plymouth DEV
- Probate: 28 Jun 1883, Melbourne VIC
Notes:
Barrabool Hills Book, GHRC
1861 Thomas SMALE shown as occupier of Allotments 24(a) and 24(b) of Section 3. Known as Basset's farm and owned by John CLINNICK.
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Geelong and Western District Directory, 1861
Thomas SMALE, committee member, Barrabool Farmers' Association.
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The Barrabool Shire Council's Jubilee, 1865-1915, compiled by Cr. W. Ham. [RHSV]
Proclaimed a shire on 13 Jun 1865. First shire meeting held 26 Jun 1865. Members present include Cr. T. SMALE. Thomas SMALE listed as being a councillor for two years 1865-1867. [Presumably for one term only]
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Geelong Advertiser, 17 Feb 1870
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT CERES
It is with extreme regret that we have to record a most destructive and calamitous fire which occurred at the farm of Mr. T. Smale, J.P., at Ceres, on Tuesday, about 1 p.m. Mr. Smale has had a most bountiful harvest, and had never gathered in more grain, hay, and other agricultural produce than he had this season. He was looking forward to a considerable return this year to make up for the losses sustained in previous bad seasons, but this fire has upset all his hopes, and not being insured at all, he has lost not only all his year's labor and expenditure as well as all expected profits but nearly the whole of what he was possessed of. This is to be the more regretted as the catastrophe is undoubtedly the result of gross carelessness on the part of a man who has been employed by Mr. Smale for some six or seven years, and there can be no accounting for his foolhardy conduct in this affair, as he has hitherto borne a good character, as an excellent farm hand. It appears that Mr. Smale, on Monday, left instructions that the stubble was to be burnt off some of the paddocks if the day were suitable, but at the same time he impressed on the man that if the day should turn out hot, or if a hot wind prevailed, he was not on any account to think of setting fire to any of the stubble. In the face of this the man, whose name is Samuel Berryman, went deliberately after dinner, in the hottest part of the day, with the thermometer standing at over a hundred in the shade, and a regular "brickfielder" blowing, and fired the stubble in a small paddock not far removed from the homestead. The wind was blowing direct from where the stubble was lighted to the homestead and the stack-yard. The fire was no sooner ignited than it spread with lightning-like rapidity across the paddock into one from which rye grass has not long been mowed, and across this with equal rapidity to the hay stacks. In less time than it takes to write it, these were one mass of flames. The unfortunate man seems to have been utterly prostrated at the sight of the damage he had done, and rushed about without attempting to save anything, although he would have had time to liberate over twenty pigs which were confined in the piggery, and to have removed some drays, buggy, and agricultural implements. Unfortunately Mr. Smale was absent at the Mount Moriac Police Court, and Mrs. Smale had left only shortly before the catastrophe, leaving only Berryman and the servant girl on the premises. The neighbours however rushed to the scene, and bursting into the house succeed in rescuing a chest of drawers and a seer taire containing Mr. Smale's papers and documents. With the exception of a few minor articles of furniture, this was all that was saved out of a smiling homestead which half an hour previously had been surrounded by the results of a bountiful harvest, and was furnished with every necessary for a large and properly conducted farm. The fire having laid hold of the stacks, almost immediately extended to the barn, the threshing machine shed, the piggeries, and a long row of sheds used for various purposes. The blaze and heat were terrific, melting spare brasses belonging to Mr. Smale's threshing machine as effectually as if they had been reduced in a furnace. The poor pigs were literally roasted alive, and some splendid drays and implements standing in the yard were totally destroyed. The house dog was also burnt to death, being chained up, and all that now remains of him is a charred skeleton. The fowls shared the same fate, but fortunately the entire [sic] horse "Reformer" was released before the fire reached his stable. The heat was so intense that in a very few minutes the fire was communicated to the house, and so rapidly did the work of destruction proceed that the neighbors were only able to rescue the few articles we have mentioned. The property destroyed included 50 tons of magnificent hay, a stack of unthreshed wheat, estimated to contain about 100 bags, another stack of oats, containing about an equal quantity of grain; a small stack of barley, estimated as likely to yield 30 or 40 bags; 60 bags of peas, a stack of rye grass, containing about 100 bushels of seed; three cwt. of butter, twenty-one fine pigs, the barn, stables, piggeries, sheds and dwelling house, waggon, drays, buggy, implements, harness, and the household furniture; the whole valued by Mr. Smale at about £1200. The unfortunate gentleman, it appears, has never been in the habit of insuring, and hence his loss is not covered to the value of a penny by insurance policies. The servant girl has also suffered, having lost everything but the clothes she had on at the time. Her wardrobe may appear a slight loss, but to her it is no doubt a very serious one. The greatest sympathy is expressed for Mr. Smale by all his neighbors. He has worked hard for fifteen years on his farm, and had just got it into excellent order when this catastrophe comes and throws him back for years. The farmers around seeing the smoke rode with all haste to the spot, but were only enabled to render very slight service, although they worked with a will. Mr. Smale desires to thank them most heartily for their assistance. The fire and the misfortune of the loser does not seem to have been sufficient to repress the purloining proclivities of some person. In the chest of drawers which were saved there was a considerable sum in gold and notes, the gold consisting of five sovereigns placed in one of the drawers by Mrs. Smale just before she left. Some unprincipled individual undeserving of the name of a man, took advantage of the bustle and excitement to steal three of these. It is stated that the thief is known, and in the interest of justice and all right feeling it is hoped that he will not be allowed to go scatheless. The man Berryman, who was the innocent but blundering cause of this great misfortune to Mr. Smale, has been arrested on a charge of carelessly using fire. He was brought up at the Central police court yesterday and was remanded until Friday.
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In the next column:
CARELESS USE OF FIRE - Samuel Berryman was charged with carelessly using fire at Mr. Smale's farm, Ceres on the previous day. On the application of the police, the prisoner was remanded until Friday for the production of evidence.
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Geelong Advertiser, 19 Feb 1870, Current Topics column
The circumstances connected with the disastrous fire at Mr. Smale's farm, Ceres, as reported by us on Thursday, were elicited at the Central Police Court yesterday, on the hearing of the charge of careless use of fire preferred against Samuel Berryman, the man who caused the conflagration. The evidence showed gross carelessness, and although Mr. Smale pleaded for a lenient sentence, the bench felt called upon to impose a penalty of 10 pounds, or in default, one month's imprisonment, in order that the case may prove a warning to others similarly situated. The unfortunate man appeared in court much burnt about the arms, face, and body, and no doubt his punishment bodily, mentally, and pecuniarily is heavy, but it is to be hoped the case will have its effect in preventing carelessness in future. That some such example is needed, is shown by the fact that an exactly similar case is reported from Whorooly [sic], near Beechworth, where on the same day as this fire at Mr. Smale's occurred, two brothers named McWalters were burnt out, losing all the crops they had just harvested and all their improvements.
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Geelong Advertiser, 25 May 1883
SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. SMALE, J.P.
The residents of this town and district will regret to learn of the very sudden death of Mr. Thomas Smale, J.P., of Edgecombe Farm, Barrabool Hills, which occurred about ten o'clock yesterday morning. The gentleman named proceeded to the Bible Christian Church at Mount Moriac on Wednesday evening, at which place he occupied the chair at a public gathering. During the proceedings he was taken suddenly ill with spasms, and was compelled to retire to the parsonage in connection with the church, and a messenger was despatched to Geelong for Dr. Carstairs. The doctor proceeded to Mount Moriac with all despatch, and prescribed for Mr. Smale. The medicine appeared to give relief to the patient, and the doctor remained with him throughout the night. At seven o'clock yesterday morning Mr. Smale was apparently so far recovered that Dr. Carstairs did not consider that his presence was any longer required, and he left for town. A couple of hours afterwards, Mr. Smale had a second attack to which he succumbed about ten o'clock in the morning. The news of Mr. Smale's death was conveyed to Dr. Carstairs later in the day, but he refused to give a certificate as to the cause of death until the police and the coroner were acquainted with the case. Mr. Heron, the police magistrate, did not consider that it was a case for any magisterial inquiry, and directed the medical gentleman who had seen the deceased to give the relatives a certificate as to the cause of death. The deceased gentleman was a native of North Tamerton, Devon, [sic] England, and died at the age of 60 years. He came to the colony at an early period, and was a resident of the Barrabool Hills district for fully 30 years. As a farmer he was most successful on the old Barrabool Hills, where he held a leading position for many years. In his social life he was extremely well liked, and for a considerable period occupied the position of a member of the Barrabool Shire Council, both at the time the district was under the old road board system, and since the Shires Act came into force. He was a staunch teetotaller, and a leading member of the Bible Christian Church. In all political movements he took a great interest, and he was one of the most energetic agitators for a better system of immigration, which he thought would be of vast benefit to the farmers of the colony.
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The Will of Thomas SMALE, 1823-1883
This is the last Will and testament of Thomas Smale, Farmer, in the Parish of Barrabool, County of Grant, in the Colony of Victoria - dated this Eighth day of May - One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty.
I, Thomas Smale hereby give to my Wife "Eliza" the proceeds of the whole of my estate, for her own personal use and benefit as long as she lives (less what is hereinafter mentioned) including my life policy for Five Hundred pounds in the Australian Mutual Provident Society. I also direct that as long as my wife lives, that my estate shall not be sold. But that my Wife may either live in it, or let it as she may think fit.
I also direct that my daughter "Mary Ann" shall receive out of my estate, One Hundred Pounds for her own personal use, and that after the death of her Mother she shall have my estate for her own personal use and benefit, and after her death, my estate shall be sold, and be equally divided among her Children. I also direct that Twenty Pounds Sterling, shall be giv'n to the "Bible Christian Missionary cause in Victoria".
Signed by the Testator in the presence of us whose signature is attached hereto-
Thomas Smale
May 8, 1880
John Daniel
Robert James Andrews
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Stood for the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian State Parliament in 1871 in the seat of South Grant. Source: Argus Newspaper (Melbourne) Index, 1870-1879.
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Baptism:
Residence: Ash Hill
Census:
Mason Apprentice residing with the TRENOUTH family.
Census:
Thomas SMALE, his wife Eliza, daughter Mary Ann and his brother Isaac shown as residing at 12 Mill Pleasant, Devonport DEV. Interestingly, Isaac is described as a Mason Apprentice.
PRO Ref: HO/107/1882, Folio: 361, Page: 18, FHL Film: 0221031
Emigration:
Aboard 'Clara' arriving in Portland on 19 Nov 1854.
Into Place: Portland VIC
Buried:
HGH-MET-02-807-028
Thomas married SAMELLS Eliza 29 Feb 1844, North Tamerton CON. Eliza (daughter of SAMELLS Richard and WARREN Ann) was born Abt 1825, Boyton CON; died 18 Nov 1898, 27 Little Myers Street, Geelong VIC; was buried 20 Nov 1898, Barrabool Hills Cemetery, Highton VIC. [Group Sheet]
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1844 - 1844 (0 years)
SAMELLS Eliza was born Abt 1825, Boyton CON (daughter of SAMELLS Richard and WARREN Ann); died 18 Nov 1898, 27 Little Myers Street, Geelong VIC; was buried 20 Nov 1898, Barrabool Hills Cemetery, Highton VIC. 