Lady Teviot Evening Tue 17th October 2006 

      Well known British genealogy speaker Lady Teviot will be speaking and answering questions on the British General Records Office (G.R.O formerly St Catherine's Index) and how they can help you locate your British ancestor's information. 

      As president of the Federation of Family History Societies she has lectured in England, U.S.A, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Publications and CD's will be available to purchase on the night.

Time: 7.00 pm

Venue: Shepparton Heritage Centre. Welsford St opposite Police Station.

Cost: Gold coin donation.

Light supper provided.

Bookings essential: 

GMAGS  Expo  Sat 18^th November 2006 

      The seventh annual Goulburn and Murray Association of Local and Family History Groups is here once again. It is essential that all members support this very worthwhile day to ensure that it continues to be a major Family History Expo in the Murray Goulburn region. (See attached flyer for further details)

Venue:   Mulwala and District Services Club

Time:  10.00 am to 4.00 pm

Cost: $ 10 (includes guest speakers)

Raffle tickets available for $200 fuel voucher from SFHG rooms.

•  Echuca-Moama Family History Group      A visit to the Echuca-Moama family history rooms and a cemetery walk are planned for early 2007. Date to be announced. 

•  Victorian State Library      A day trip including a guided tour of the Victorian State Library in Melbourne is planned for early 2007.  Details still to be finalised.

•  Other Suggestions 

     Visit to Deniliquin Family History Group.

     Day trip to Public Records Office Victoria, possibly a Saturday. (tour of repository included)

     Visit to Kilmore Historic Society.

     Visit to Rushworth / Whroo district.

     Other suggestions welcome.

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Christmas Break Up       

    All members are invited to the Heritage rooms on Sunday 17th December for afternoon tea and chat, from 1.00 pm, for our Christmas break up. Please bring a small plate of afternoon tea to share.

Internet at McGuire College 

     Family History research nights are conducted on the fourth Tuesday of the month at McGuire College,  7.00pm till 9.00pm. McGuire College staff will give you hands on experience at searching for family history information using the internet. This is a free night so come along and learn the wonders of the internet.    Learners very welcome.

Few buildings in the Goulburn Valley have provoked as much local public interest as the now demolished Shepparton Post Office and the Verney Road homestead previously known as "The Pines". In the late 1800's both these buildings were synonymous with the J A K Clarke name.

"The Pines" was built for Thomas Swallow in 1876 on "Shepparton Park Estate", a property encompassing most of the area from Knight St Shepparton to the railway line on the east, the Goulburn River to the west and almost as far as Congupna to the north. "Shepparton Park" was later owned by Mr Edward Lightfoot. Mr Lightfoot's nephews Mr Arthur Burdekin Mason and Mr Asline Collett Mason became co-owners in the mid 1880's and proceeded to turn the property into one of the more diverse agricultural enterprises in country Victoria. A report in the "Shepparton News of September 1888 lists the following as being grown on the property: kail, broomcorn, lucerne, more than 2000 sheep, 150 head of cattle, 150 horses, over 100 pigs, Spanish fowl and 143 acres of orchard. The orchard included: 25 acres of peaches, 7 acres of nectarines, 7 acres of apples, 5 acres of pears, 5 acres of oranges and 1 acre of lemons. 10 acres of table grape vines and a nursery of 40,000 vine cuttings completes the farming enterprise. The report goes on to say that the two Mason brothers are amongst the most enterprising tillers of soil in Australia and a strong hope is expressed that a cannery will be established in Shepparton.

 "The Pines" c 1980

Mr John.A.K.Clarke settled in Shepparton in 1890 after his marriage in Melbourne to Beatrice Mary Mason, the youngest of Henry Mason and Annie Lightfoot's eight children. Beatrice had been born in Hertfordshire England in 1862. Driving separate well loaded buggies to Shepparton the newly married couple chose an area of the Mason property adjoining Balaclava and Verney roads to build their homestead. John Clarke, who was already an architect of note, erected the homestead "Nettlegoe" on the site as well as a similar designed homestead "Ivanhoe" nearby for his brother-in-law Arthur B Mason.

Outstanding buildings designed by John A K Clarke soon spread across the Shepparton area.

Some of the noted community buildings being:

Shepparton Post Office (old), St Brendan's Catholic Church, Scots Church Hall, Wesley Church Hall, Shepparton Agricultural High School, Showgrounds Grandstand, Shire Hall, Dookie Catholic Church.

Some of the many outstanding residences designed by J A K.Clarke were: "Nettlegoe" (Clarke crt), "Ivanhoe" (Ivanhoe crt), "The Pines" (Verney Rd), "Fairly Downs"(Bunbartha) and "Ambermere", Orr St

"Nettlegoe" 2005

Asline Collett Mason died at Shepparton in 1921 aged 63.

Arthur Burdekin Mason died at North Brighton n 1943 aged 83.

Beatrice Mary Clarke (nee Mason) died at Shepparton in 1943 aged 81.

John Augustus Kenny Clarke died at Mooroopna in 1945 age 92.

*Both John and Beatrice Clarke are buried in the Shepparton cemetery.

Shepparton News Oct 1883

Yesterday one of the most important land sales that has been held in Shepparton, took place in the Court House. The property offered belonged to the late Mr Leahy, who may be said to have been the founder of Shepparton. Particulars were not quite ripe enough for publication last night, but we may mention that the Shepparton Park estate, containing 845 acres, was purchased by Mr A.B.Mason, at the low price of p4 12s per acre. A great part of the property was sold at such low rates as almost amounted to sacrifice. The total receipts of the sale were upwards of p6000.

Shepparton News December 1889

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Shepparton News March 1888  

Shepparton News September 1889

Shepparton News April 1921

Last Friday morning the people of Shepparton were startled by the sad news that the body of Mr A.C.Mason had been found lying in a lane off Knight street.

Mr Mason, who was 65 years of age, was one of the best known residents of this district, of which he was a pioneer, in the sense that he was probably the first to recognize its capabilities. In company with his brother he purchased from the late Mr. Edward Lightfoot for the sum of p20,000, the large estate which he did so much to develop, and on which he gave employment to so many men. He was of a most enterprising nature, as was shown by the fact that he was the first to embark in the Victorian fruit industry - his orchard having an area of 150 acres, besides which he had a large vineyard from which he produced wine. His were the first double-furrow plough and the first reaper and binder of this district, and men from long distances used to visit his farm for the purpose of seeing these implements at work. Mr Mason seemed to be somewhat unfortunate in being always too far ahead of his time, and his was the fate of the man who expends himself in blazing the trail for others to trend. An instance of this was his recognition that the future of the Goulburn Valley must largely depend on irrigation - a belief which led him years ago to erect a pumping plant, and supplementing it, by fluming, to lead the water from the river to his orchard.

The unassuming manner, unvarying courtesy with which he adhered to his duty made Mr Mason a general favorite, and it is worthy of remark that in these days of industrial unrest the many men who worked for him are among those who most regret his loss. The deepest sympathy is felt for Mrs Mason and the other members of the deceased's family in the dire affliction which has so suddenly befallen them.

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Shepparton News August 1943