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John Hughes Stonemason (1815-1902), Sandford, Victoria
Les Hughes is looking for photographs of John HUGHES and his family.
If you can assist please email Les Hughes at
jagmag@ecn.net.au "Early on Saturday morning last, the sad intelligence was made known throughout Casterton that Mr John Hughes, the well known contractor and one of the very earliest of Victoria's pioneers, had passed away during the previous night. He had been indisposed for some days, and on Wednesday came from his own home beyond Sandford, to the residence of his daughter, Mrs John Smith, at Casterton, in order to see the doctor and get nursing attention.
"On Friday he was moving about as usual, and in the evening retired to bed indulging in the hope that he would have a good night's rest. Mrs Smith was very watchful of him through the night, and after midnight thought she could detect from her own bedroom that his breathing was getting preceptibly lower. She accordingly, went into his bedroom, and discovering that the crisis was close to hand, she remained by his bedside to the end. Mr Hughes remained conscious, but was not able to converse, his only remark being the one of "Goodbye to all", repeated several times. He succumbed to heart failure at about 4am.
"There is quite a history attaching to the advancement of the district as far back as 1841, leaving England by the 'Wardshipman' - the second immigrant ship to sail from Bristol for Australian shores, and which took five months on the voyage. After spending two years in Melbourne, Mr Hughes was engaged by the NSW Government to build the gaol at Portland. The journey was made overland, there being no other means of communication with what has since been regarded as the 'Plymouth of the West'.
"On completing this work he returned to Melbourne, where he was for some years, practically speaking, the only stonemason that could be got. Among some of the earliest undertakings that he worked at in what is now the great metropolis of the Southern Hemisphere may be mentioned Dight's Falls on the Yarra, also Raleigh's Wharf and Langlands Foundry - he likewise put in the stone foundry, all these works being carried out in the 'forties.
"Returning again to Portland, he built the gaol wall and the watch tower, and it will be of interest here to add that the late Mr Samuel Ramsden, of Melbourne, was a mate of his on this job; in fact they repeatedly worked together. The building trade was very quiet around Melbourne, and Mr Hughes therefore found other employment in the getting of bark and gum for export.
"He finally settled down in Portland in 1849, and was building 'Burswood' there, a mansion residence of the late Mr Edward Henry, when Mr Wm Rhodes, the widely respected president of the Glenelg Shire, came upon the scene, and to him the deceased (Hughes) was offered a job of quarrying. Many have been the changes since, but Mr Rhodes who, by dint in his industry and through integrity now occupies the leading public position here, never forgot this kindness, and to the last Mr Hughes had no more truer and practical friend.
"The other prominent landmarks in Portland with which the deceased's name was prominently associated as a builder were the late Mr Frank Henty's residence at the top of Julia Street, the lighthouse that used to stand where is now the Portland Battery, the Union Bank, the Customs House, etc. He also worked on the large block of buildings known as Henty & Co's Stores (where there is now the 'Observer' office), Cruickshank's (now Mr PW Shevills' Offices) and Mr Must's store in Bentinck Street. He relinquished mason work after some years and went into contracting, and many important undertakings in this direction. He built the large bridge that spans the River Moyne at Warrnambool, also a smaller structure at a river near Heywood. He tried farmining in a small way, but it was not a success, so at length (in 1864) he determined on trying his fortune in the Casterton district, which was then opening up.
"Among his first undertakings here were the building of our police barracks and Christ Church. In conjunction with Mr Diwell he erected the Presbyterian Church, and also the whole of the Shire Council chambers. He then took to working on the roads, and was for some years afterwards the Shire Council overseer. On his health failing him from advancing years he retired from active work and settled down at his home between Sandford and Henty.
"He had left a grown-up family of six children (three sons and three daughters); also an aged widow, aged 87 years, for whom there are the widest expressions of sympathy. The deceased was married in Wales in 1840, and had reached the age of 87 years. In connection with the funeral, it may be remarked as a somewhat unusual circumstance that two great grandsons followed the remains.
"There is much owed by this community. Mr Davidson conducted the service at the grave, Mr W. Peden attending to the mortuary arrangements."
Les Hughes notes that:
John HUGHES (1815-1902) & Margaret STOKES (1818-1904)
John HUGHES b. 1815, North Wales, son of Edward or David HUGHES and Jane WILLIAMS was married to Margaret STOKES, b. 1818, Wales, daughter of William STOKES and Jane WILLIAMS.
John HUGHES and Margaret STOKES had the following known family:
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