Bothwell Historical Events 2 by Fred McDowall

Here are a few “snippets” of history taken from the diaries of Fred McDowall of Logan (later Thorpe) which I thought may interest the Bothwell Historical Society.

1891 Apr2 F McDowall started leaving census schedules.
Apr 20 Opening of Apsley – Brighton Railway
Aug 2 Bank of VDL stopped payment.
Sept 26 Drill evening by Captain (Langdon) Clyde Rifle Company.
1895 Jan 10 Meeting of house and land-holders at Assembly Hall, almost 50 present. Passed resolution to amalgamate the office of Police & Council Clerk and appoint a sub-inspector of Police to do Rabbit inspection as well.
Mon 5 Tornado in Oatlands , much damage.
1897 Nov 7 Charles Nichols house burnt down.
1905 Feb 6 Meeting at Ratho re gold discovery at Shannon.
Feb 15 St Patrick Plains Races
Mar 29 George Allison returned from Ballarat with results of crushing 1 ton stone from Shannon.
April 15 “Golden Sunset” prospecting syndicate decided to further test mine at Shannon.
Sept 14 Concert evening- Alice and Fanny Sims, Daisy White, Maude Key, Mrs McDowall, Mrs E Arnett sang.
Also Mrs Minchin sang & recited.
1907 Dec 28 Winter – everything covered with snow, hay stacks etc. 4ins at Bothwell 16 ins at Hunterston 
1907 Feb 19 Madam Amy Sherwin gave concert at in Bothwell., good concert but poor house.
1907 Hon Ellis Dean addresses electors, talked for 2 1/2 hrs without stopping to spit.
1908 Aug 22 Workers Union meeting at bothwell. Evans and Ben Watkind held forth on the wicked landowners and capitalists.
Nov 21 Earle, Labor leader addressed meeting at Bothwell.
Dec 28 Dr Barnardo’s Boys (10) at Bothwell Town Hall, crowded house.
1909 July 2 Leo Whit’s bankruptcy sale by auction did not take place the balance being disposed of privately.
1909 aug 28 Golf championships at Logan Links.
!909 Oct 6 Blacksmith’s shop occupied by Paine Bros burnt down about 4 oclock this morning
1910 Jan 17 McWilliams candidate for House of Rep Federal Parliament addressed meeting at Bothwell, Bowden’s Hall 
1910 Mar 7 Liberal League Meeting (Committee) Bothwell
1910 April 24 saw Halley’s Comet
1910 May 7 Heard of death of King Edward VII of England
1910 May 9 Eclipse of Sun. Total at 4.14pm
1910 Oct 26 Gymkhana at Bothwell in aid of Brass Band.
1910 Nov 7 attended Lic-Bench , granted transfer from Richard Allen to William Hastie for Apslie Inn
1911 Mar 3 very big flood came down Clyde, went right up to Logan reservoir at Dennistoun gave way and --------Norwood creek bridge.
Aug 3 Census of Australia taken today.
1911 May 19 Hall at Steppes opened
1911 July 5 Fair in aid of Bothwell Brass Band.
1911 Aug 5 Opening of Ratho Golf Links
1912 Mar 2 Annual Meeting Bothwell Golf Club, resolved to play at Ratho Links in future on alternate Saturdays there upon N Wise refused use of Links at Logan
1914 Dec 19 Fete in aid of Belgium Relief Fund at Ratho proceeds £28-8-8. Fair in evenings at Town Hall in aid of Patriotic Fund , takings £14.
Dec 22 Trying to get enough water to start pump. River nearly stopped running.
1915 Charles A Evans married second time to Mrs Robinson at Grantham, Bothwell.
1916 Oct 28 Referendum Yes or No for conscription of men for military service. Large majority for No , about 60,000 in Commonwealth although a majority for Yes in Tas & WA.
1917 Feb 8 Mrs F McDowall and Mrs Ethel Allison to Hobart per Fox’s motor.
Feb 21 Address by ? Geo. Foster at Town Hall on War.
Feb 22 Fair in aid of French Red Cross fund
Verdun Day 1st Anniversary
March 12 Hodge publican at Castle Hotel died suddenly at Hobart.
1917 July 23 Fred to Hobart with Wise in his car.
July 28 Fair in aid of organ fund Episcopalian church.
Dec 20 Referendum Day Conscription or not.
Jan 7 Municipal Council Meeting – Presented address to Governor, Sir Sir Newdegate Newdegate, who was accompanied by his daughter Mis Newdegate, Sir Elliott Lewis, Hon W Lee Premier.McCoy Minister for Education, Lieut Fitzgerald & Buttors all on way to Great Lake.
Jan 8 at Hobart on War profit business.
Mar 12 Church Service.Church of England unveiled roll of Honour to soldiers of Bothwell who fell in the Great European War.
Mar 19 War Loan £3620 collected at Bothwell
Mar 25 Heard news of Germans breaking through British lines in France, Paris being bombarded by guns 
April 15 Heard of death of William Walter Higgins in France. Killed in action
April 25 Anzac day 3rd Anniversary
April 27 Social to welcome returned soldiers at Town Hall.
Returned soldiers were Munro, Evans, Honner.
April 28 Ted Taylor and five of his relations called at Thorpe to look at his birth-place.
May 18 Marking out sites for trees Memorial Avenue for soldiers enlisted from Bothwell. Sapper C Knight returned to Bothwell from A.S. abroad
May 19 Memorial service evening , English Church in memory of Chum and Brady Horne both killed in action France within two days of each other.
July 3 Lee Premier of Tasmania , at Bothwell planted first tree in “Avenue of Honour”.
Sep 16 Tree planting at Apsley – Avenue of Honour for soldiers enlisted from Apsley.
Oct 9 Corp R O C Swindells returned home to Bothwell after fighting and being wounded in France.
From F McDowall’s Diary 1923
Historical facts re Bothwell Soldiers Memorial
March 19 “Paid A C Hirst” (council clerk) “$? 2 Soldiers Memorial” (presumably his donation)
Mon 28 “Opening of Fallen Soldiers Memorial by Acting Governor Sir Hubert Nichols at Bothwell”