In 1857 Auburn was a town of small dimensions. It boasted of an hotel (the Rising Sun), a blacksmith's shop, and a store, which was also the post office. Scattered around were few crude dwellings erected by the early settlers.
With the discovery of copper at Burra to the north-east, Auburn flourished as a resting place for the ‘bullockies’ and ‘muleteers’, the men responsible for carting copper ore from the mines at Burra to the gulf at Port Henry (now Port Wakefield).
BACK TO AUBURN
(1936)
'Auburn, sweet Auburn,' sang Irish poet Oliver Goldsmith, but his thoughts ran to the 'village
of the plain.'
Auburn in the hills is about 68 miles north of Adelaide, where health and. plenty are enjoyed by those dwelling therein.
Oliver Goldsmith opened his poem 'The Deserted Village' with:
"Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain,
Where health and plenty cheared the labouring swain,
Where smiling spring its earliest visit paid,
And parting summer's lingering blooms delayed,
Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease,
Seats of my youth, when every sport could please,
How often have I loitered o'er thy green,
Where humble happiness endeared each scene!"
The Auburn poem concludes:
"Teach him, that states of native strength possest,
Tho' very poor, may still be very blest;
That trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay,
As ocean sweeps the labour'd mole away;
While self-dependent power can time defy,
As rocks resist the billows and the sky."
In the midst of a fertile district watered by the River Wakefield, Nature has been kind to those
who made use of the opportunities provided.
Thoughts such as these did not fill the mind of the drover who passed through the district over 80 years ago. He did not like the country as it was 'too dry'.
In later years he altered his ideas upon the matter, as he conducted a bakery close to the River Dennis, and frequently in the winter-time was unable to supply his customers with bread, as the bakehouse was flooded.
The Dennis flows after heavy rain, and is named after the father of the famous poet, C. J. Dennis, who was landlord of the District Hotel.
The earliest record shows that Auburn was part of a land grant given to Thomas Henry Williams in 1849.
Two years later a store and an hotel, The Rising Sun Inn, were established. The loft above the stables at the rear of the Rising Sun Hotel was used as a public hall and courtroom.
One particular person influenced many of the buildings in town, and that was Joseph
Meller, a stonemason who quarried local sand stone, and was contracted to build a number of the town’s major structures.
Most of Auburn's solid buildings still standing date from the period when Meller was active in the 1860s and 1870s.
The foundation-stone of Mr. I. Meller's shop has H.W., 1855, engraved thereon. This was Harry Wylie, who had a bootmaker's shop there.
His wife had as a girl been a dressmaker, and assisted in making dresses for the Duchess of Kent, Queen Victoria's mother.
In the early days of the district the land was closely settled with people living on 80-acre sections, many of whom spent much of their time in carting merchandise to out back stations, and copper ore from the Burra Burra Mine to Port Wakefield.
Some of them made their permanent homes in the neighborhood, and their descendants are enjoying to-day the fruits of their foresight.
Auburn was originally named Tateham's Waterhole but in 1849 the land was granted to Thomas Henry Williams and he divided it up into lots and called it Auburn after a small town near Limerick in the west of Ireland.
OR: Mr. E. B. Gleeson, it is understood, gave the town its present name.
The post office was at the first built store, kept by Mr. Charles Bleechmore.
The first telegraph instruments used in the town were installed there by Mr. (afterwards Sir) Charles Todd (whose greatest achievement was to build the Overland Telegraph Line across the centre of Australia. This line linked up with a telegraph cable that came under the sea from Asia).
Mr. J. E. Bleechmore afterwards gave a block of land to the Postal Department, and on it the present post office was erected.
Race meetings were held on the flat to the east of the River Wakefield. The population of the place increased rapidly, as people considered that it would be a big centre.
In 1864 the land on the east side of the main road was cut up into building blocks and sold by auction. This section was granted to Edward Royd Rice in 1842 (Rice's Creek is named after him.) Good prices were received for the allotments, the best being £241/10/-, for Lot 14, on part of which the Institute and Hall now stand. One of the allotments which brought £98 at the sale, changed hands later on for £150.
Building operations went rapidly ahead, the new town being called New Auburn.
In 1866 an imposing Town Hall was erected at a cost of about £2,000.
A limited liability company was formed to provide the money, there being 800 shares at £2/10/ each.
Amongst the shareholders were Sir W. W. Hughes, Sir G. S. Kingston, Messrs. H. E. Bright, J. W. Gleeson, Thomas Neill (he pas-sed away recently after having attained his one-hundredth year), Arthur King, J. E. and Wm. Bleechmore, N. Sowton, and many others.
The foundation-stone of the building, for which Messrs. J. Miller and Scott were the contractors was laid on 1st January by the Chairman of Directors, Mr. Arthur King, with Masonic honors.
The local Lodge of Oddfellows (founded in 1856) also took part. Mr. W. T. Bleechmore was the first Secretary.
For some time the venture proved satisfactory, but eventually it was taken over by the mortgagee, Mr. F. Treloar, of Watervale.
Mr. J. Limbert's chemist shop was opened in 1866, and is still kept going under the same name by a member of the family, Mr. O. C. H. Limbert.
A Mechanics' Institute was formed in 1859, Mr. Gavin D. Young being President, Mr. G. E. Williams Vice-President, Mr. G. G. Steinthal Secretary, and Mr. J. E. Bleechmore Treasurer.
After occupying different buildings during intervening years, in 1883 the Town Hall was purchased by the Committee, and several rooms were added, the foundation-stone of the additions being laid by Mrs. H. F. Harvey on 1st January, 1884.
On 16th September, 1857, a ploughing match was held near the town, Mr. J. E. Bleechmore being Secretary. At the dinner, attended by about 60 persons, the question of joining with the Clare people in a Show Society was discussed.
The matter was taken up enthusiastically, and at a meeting at Watervale in October the President (Mr. E. B. Gleeson) announced that the Northern Agricultural Society had been formed, and was ready to enter into active operations at once.
The first exhibition of stock took place at Clare in December, the Patron, Sir R. G. MacDonnell, and Lady Mac-Donnell being present.
In the early days Local Government affairs were administered from Clare, but in 1855, the Upper Wakefield District Council was formed, with Mr. Christopher Giles as Chairman, and Messrs. John Brewer, James H. Bleechmore, James Taylor, Thomas Thomas as Councillors.
Mr. J. S. C. Cole (who subsequently conducted the Stanley Grammar School at Watervale) was appointed Clerk, and Samuel Jordan ranger.
Meetings were at first held at the Rising Sun Inn, but in the late seventies the present District Office was built.
Judging from the number of places of worship which were built in the vicinity, the early settlers must have been of a very religious turn of mind. Several of them have since been closed.
Perhaps the first one to be erected was the Bible Christian Church in 1860.
St. John's was built in 1862. Owing to an error of judgment on the part of the donor of the land, the building was sold in 1871, and the congregation had to raise money to buy it back for £211.
The Police Station and Courthouse cost £800 to build, money for that purpose being voted by Parliament in 1859.
Old-timers told of the day when for some unknown reason the crowd in the town got out of hand and stoned the Police Station.
The town used to boast of a flour mill, but in recent years it went the way of most country mills and nearly all of it has been pulled down. It is on record that in 1867 it was owned by a Mr. Field.
Another industry which thrived in the early days was the coachbuilding factory of Adamson Bros., but as settlers moved farther north so other works came into existence, and the Auburn factory became a thing of the past.
Early settlers found the Wakefield to be a little stream which could be crossed almost anywhere, but big floods, the most severe of which was probably that of 1889, washed out the river bed.
Where the big steel bridge now stands (opened in 1912), sixty years ago there was a ford and a small foot-bridge.
With the march of time means of communication with Adelaide gradually improved. When the town was first opened up the railway northwards extended as far as Gawler.
In 1918 the line to Clare was opened up, and by now the bitumen road runs through the centre of the State.
At one time the town possessed two breweries. To-day the butter factory is on the site of one, and a wheat store on the site of the other.
OLD IDENTITIES OF AUBURN
Dr. J. W. Yeatman, M.R.C.S.
Dr. J. W. Yeatman is another of our old leaders, who carried on the work upon the foundations laid by his predecessors. He came to Auburn in 1887, and continued in practice here for over 35 years.
His kindly disposition and genial nature soon won the hearts of the people. His work in connection with the Institute, in which he shouldered responsibilities which many others would have shirked, was of untold value and placed the subscribers under a great obligation to him.
St. John's Church, too, found in him a tower of strength. A lover of flowers, the Show Societies received his strong support. Though leading a busy life, he always found time to take an active part in the many activities of the town.
During the Great War his patriotic fervor was so great that no less than four members of the family enlisted for active service abroad. Happily, they all returned safely to their homeland.
Notwithstanding his advanced years, the genial doctor still takes an active interest in movements for the betterment of his fellow men.
Mr. J. W. Castine
It is a long way to look back to the early eighteen-sixties, when Mr. J. W. Castine, as a young man in his 'teens, entered the employment of one of the business men of the place.
It was not long before he and Mr. Francis Goss, who was employed in another store, decided to set up business for themselves.
By hard work and industry they soon got a good footing. Mr. Castine early took part in the public life of the place, and by his thoroughness gained the confidence of the people.
St. John's Church soon received his aid as a lay reader and churchwarden.
In 1873 he was Secretary of the Institute, and in all directions gave a helping hand where it was needed. He early took a deep interest in military matters, and gradually rose to his present rank in the volunteer forces.
After dissolving their partnership, Mr. Goss went to Saddleworth, and Mr. Castine entered business at Riverton. His literary society work in his younger days fitted him to take advantage of the opportunity to enter the House of Assembly as a representative of the old district of Wooroora.
He held his seat for 18 years, and succeeded in attaining Ministerial rank. Later on he started in business in Auburn once more, and after some years retired to live near Adelaide. He is still an enthusiastic worker, though nearly 90 years of age, and it is hoped that he may be spared many years to remain an example to the younger generation of sterling worth and character.
See also: Auburn Historian Col. J.W. Castine
Mr. J. E. Bleechmore
In the early days of Auburn there were so many Bleechmores in the township that the place was some times called 'Bleechmore's Waterhole.' The most prominent of the family was Mr. J. E. Bleechmore, whose public spiritedness made a lasting impression on the life of the place.
The early records show that he was generous-hearted, with wide sympathies. He was host of the Rising Sun Inn in 1855 when the first meeting of the newly-formed District Council was held, and acted as Clerk until a permanent officer was appointed. There were few bodies which did not avail themselves of his kindly advice and assistance.
After some years he sold his hotel and started business as an auctioneer. He, truly, was regarded as the father of the town, and in order to mark the appreciation by the people of the district of his sterling worth, in 1884 he was presented with a lifelike oil painting of himself (this now hangs in the Institute), and a silver tea and coffee service.
He passed away in 1887. One episode in his life which has not hitherto been recorded was when the Town Hall Company, in which he was greatly interested, fell on evil days.
He, realising that the shares in the Company were valueless, made it his business to buy from the people whom he had induced to take up shares in the venture, all their holdings at the price paid by the shareholders, and bore the loss himself.
AUBURN DISTRICT HOSPITAL. A meeting of residents of the district was held on 26th October, 1923, presided over by the Chair-man of the District Council (G. W. Parker, Esq.), who called upon Mr. S. Dennison to address the meeting. Mr. Dennison explained that a property had been offered by the Thomas family to the Committee for £600. Arrangements were made and the property was purchased.
In January, 1924, Sister Brown was appointed as the first Matron. Dr. C. G. Wells being the Resident Medical Practitioner. Dr. M. E. Chinner succeeded Dr. Wells, and the following Matrons have been in charge: — Sisters Brown, Thompson, Forde, Milne, and Thomas, and at present Sister McKenzie, with Dr. T. D. Finey the Resident Medical Practitioner.
Mr. G. W. Williams, J.P., Chairman of the District Council, was president of the Back to Auburn Carnival. Mr. J. A. Morcom J.P., was secretary of the carnival.
Mr. E. H. Maddern is the present Clerk of the Upper Wakefield District Council. Mr. S. Dennison, now member of the House of Assembly, for the district, took a great interest in the Northern Agricultural Society, and it was by his efforts as secretary that it was kept going until 1929, when the last show was held, and the society went into recess. Probably with improving conditions the society may be resuscitated.
From Back to Auburn -- A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TOWN
The Adamson Bros, coach building works, Auburn flour mill and brewery have long since ceased to operate.
In 1856 the Forester's Lodge was formed.
The public school built in 1860, consisting of one room, has since been enlarged and improved.
In 1862 a branch of the National Bank was opened.
The present Auburn Institute was built in 1866 for about £2,000.
The district council chambers were built in 1879.
In 1918 the Clare-Spalding railway line was opened through Auburn to Riverton. The first stationmaster, Mr. White, later became a superintendent in the SAR.
The Auburn Show Society once owned ground now occupied by Elder, Smith and Co. Ltd., but the last show was held in October, 1929.
Auburn was the first place in SA where wheat was sown by a broadcasting machine, made locally, improving on an American invention. It broadcast the seed 25 yards and was taken up by Hawke and Co. (Kapunda).
During World War II the Government opened a flax mill which employed many people of the district, but it has since been closed down and sold.
The CWA formed a branch in 1937 and were instrumental in forming a
children's playground. The branch has also purchased a building for a future rest room.
Some of our personalities.—
C. J. Dennis, poet, author of 'The Sentimental Bloke,' born at Auburn September, 1876.
Ernie Jones, international fast bowler.
Phil Roberts, Sheffield runner.
Several old mounting steps are still to be found, relics of the early days.
Some of the old pioneers still residing in Auburn are Miss Taylor (90), Mrs. Axford (89), Mrs. Lisk (89), Mr. H. J. Limbert (89). Mr. John Collins (over 90) has recently gone to the Riverton Hospital.
The Auburn quarry provided stone for the foundations of the Museum, Art Gallery, and Public Library in Adelaide.
See Also:
Walking SA | Walk with history in Auburn Self-guided heritage walk with brochure
Auburn National Trust on Facebook
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