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Rosedale History Quiz

WRONG - In 1924 one of the pioneers of Rosedale, William Allen, died at the age of 95 years. The article below tells a lot about the man and the buildings he erected in Rosedale, as well as how life was in those very early days.

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A PIONEER BUILDER PASSES.

MR ALLEN, OF ROSEDALE.

The death occurred at Rosedale on December 21st, of Mr William Allen, the oldest resident of Rosedale, and a fine old pioneer, at the great age of 95 years. He was born in London in February of 1828, and was thus almost 96 at the time of his death. He arrived in Australia in 1852 with his wife and carried on his trade as a brickmaker and builder at Flemington for six years. In 1858 he came to Rosedale for the express purpose of building the Rosedale Hotel, and has lived there ever since. When the late Mr Allen first came to Rosedale he came by schooner to Port Albert, then by bullock-waggon to Rosedale. At that time there was a camp of blacks at Rosedale, and until the hotel was completed he and others had to guard it with guns at night from attacks by the natives. After he had completed the hotel he went to Nambrok and built Nambrok homestead for the late John King. He then built the Rosedale tannery and tan pits. Among other prominent buildings built by him in the district were the Presbyterian Church, Rosedale, the first portion of the Holey Plains homestead, the brick racing stables at Kilmany Park, the front of the Rosedale Mechanics and supper room, and at the age of 84 he built the new Rosedale Shire Hall, and at that time had contracts for four years.

Mr Allen had a family of seven, all of whom are living with the exception of one daughter, Elizabeth. The surviving members are: Mrs Nicholson, Yarraville; Mrs Duck Snr., Rosedale; William Arthur, Rosedale; Edwin, Sydney; Herbert Henry, Rosedale; and Walter Augustus, Foster.

Gippsland Times, Thursday, January 3, 1924.