Information on Busby Family of Cassilis from Roy Cameron's local history files held in Coolah, NSW.
Sydney Mail 18 February 1888:
DALKEITH HOMESTEAD
The Property of the Late Hon. William Busby, M.L.C.
Dalkeith is situated in the Upper Hunter district, and was the country estate of the late Mr. Busby. It adjoins Cassilis, which was taken up by the Messrs. Busby about the year 1829.
It will be remembered that Mr. John Busby, C.E., came out as engineer to the Government in 1825; and, owing to his energy and skill, Sydney was supplied for nearly half a century with water from the Lachlan Swamps, by what is known as "Busby's Bore".
Mr. Busby's sons, like many other early
pioneers, pushed out in search of new country, and selected Cassilis
as promising greater advantages of soil and climate than any other
district they had seen, and their selection has since proved to have
been a wise one. A few years after they settled at Cassils, Dalkeith
was joined to the property, and in later years, when the two
brothers, Alexander and William, dissolved partnership, Dalkeith was
allotted to the latter. It containes about 30,000 acres of freehold,
of rich volcanic loam, with a frontage to the Talbragar River, and is
famed as being one of the choicest agricultural and grazing estates
in the colony. The soil is very fertile; the crops last year are
estimated as yielding 33 bushels of wheat to the acre. The rainfall
for the past 15 years have averaged 23in., and, being situated at an
elevation of 1500 feet above sea-level, it enjoys a salubrious
climate. When the railway line, the money of which has been voted,
is completed, there is every probability of a large agricultural
settlement being developed.
Through the death of the proprietor
the estate is now in the market for sale, and will be offered by
auction on the 7th proximo, by Messrs. Goldsborough and
Co., in this city.
Advertisement:
Dalkeith
Adjoining Cassilis,
In the Upper Hunter District
28,000 acres Freehold
4,000 acres Conditional Purchase
7,000 ditto Crown Lands
R. Goldborough and Co., Limited, Sydney, in conjunction with Ryan and Hammond, Melbourne, have received instructions from the Trustees of the late
Hon. William Busby, M.L.C.,
(under terms of his will) to sell by public auction, in Sydney
On Wednesday, March 7
At the Exchange, at 3 pm
The above magnificent property in the far-famed Upper Hunter District, and comprising some of the finest land for grazing and agricultural purposes in New South Wales.
The property is situated at an altitude of 1500 feet above the level of the sea, about 70 miles north-west of Muswellbrook, and 60 north-east of Mudgee, and is permanently watered by the Talbragar and Munmurra rivers and other creeks, which in all seasons give an unlimited supply of water. The average rainfall for the past 15 years has been 23 inches.
The land is of the richest description, consisting of deep rich volcanic loam, and a large proportion is already fit for the plough.
The average yield of wheat last year, in the neighbourhood of Cassilis, was 33 bushels to the acre.
The improvements are most complete and have been chiefly erected within the last five years.
The Estate is fenced with first-class sheep-proof fencing, and is subdivided into 27 sheep paddocks. There are also several cultivation paddocks.
The Homestead, a stone building, containing 8 rooms, erected at a cost of £3000; woolshed for 20 shearers cost £2000.
The sheep have been bred with the greatest care and judgement for over 50 years, and rank among the leading flocks of the colony for weight and quality combined.
A permanent survey of the line from Muswellbrook to Cassilis has just been completed, and the money voted for its construction.
The Cassilis Estate has been held by the Messrs. Busby since 1829, and the property now for sale was joined to it between 35 and 40 years ago, from which date until 1880 they were worked as one property.
The Estate adjoins those well-known properties, Llangollen, Tongay, Rotherwood, Cassilis, and is the immediate vicinity of Collaroy and Brindley Park.
With the Estate will be sold about 22,128 sheep, all station-bred, consisting of -
125 Stud Merino Ewes, 2 years old
210 Stud Merino Ewes, 3 years old
459 Stud Merino Ewes, 4 years to aged
3560 Flock Merino Ewes, 2 years
2990 Flock Merino Ewes, 3 years
1200 Flock Merino Ewes, 4 years
3450 Flock Merino Ewes, 5 years to aged
All good mouths. 3600 are to lamb in March, the balance in July.
9307 mixed Lambs, 1887 drop.
551 rams
283 Ration Sheep
150 Cattle, mostly "Theodore" blood
40 Horses, famous BY brand.
From a later press clipping regarding Dalkeith Station held by the McMaster family:
Dalkeith was first settled in the 1830s by Robert Scott and then passed in 1840 to the Busby family during which time the sandstone house was built. It was bought in 1890 by Duncan McMaster.
From Pioneers of Australia (1938) pp132-134
Mr. Harold Oscar Busby
Harold Oscar Busby, of "Garrallan" near Cowra, may well look back with pride on the history of the Busby family and their achievements in the establishment of the early settlements of the State of New South Wales and of New Zealand.
Born at Kiama, New South Wales, on the 13th September, 1878, Harold Oscar Busby was later educated at Newington College, Stanmore, and at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond. At he close of his educational career, he farmed for a short period on part of the "Segenhoe" estate, Scone.
In June 1901, he left for South Africa where he spent three years with R. F. Weir, Esq., in Stormberg and Queenstown districts, Cape Colony, farming and grazing.
After returning to Australia, he spent some time gaining further experience with I. J. Sloan of "North Logan" station, Cowra, and then, later, farming on his own account in the Cowra district until he enlisted with the A.I.F., seeing service in Egypt and France with the 17th Battalion till the end of the war, when he returned to Australia with the rank of Captain.
In 1924 Mr. Busby acquired "Garrallan", his present holding, a beautiful property of 2,785 acres situated 9 ? miles from Cowra.
On the 19th October, 1922, he married Marion Elsie Stokes, daughter of William Ashman Stokes of Cowra, whose father Frederick Michael Stokes was the first proprietor of the Sydney Herald, now the Sydney Morning Herald.
Mr. and Mrs. Busby have two daughters, Barbara, born 2nd September, 1925 and Helen, born 29th November 1930.
Mr. Busby is a member of The Australiasian Pioneer Club, also the Cowra Golf Club and has the unique distinction of being a member of "L'Association des Amis de la Radiesthesie", Paris, and of the "British Society of Dowsers", both of these associations are investigating what is usually called "divining" for water, minerals, etc., (see article "The Uncanny Science" by Paul Wenz, Pastoral Review, June 14th, 1935).
The early history of the Busby family may well be read with interest:-
The first member of the family to come to Australia was John Busby (1765-1857). Hew as born in Alnwick, Northumberland, and was trained by his father, a coal master, in his own business. He gradually developed a special skill in mine location and surveying, and adopted the profession of mineral surveyor and civil engineer. He exercised his profession on the "Downshire" estates in Ireland, and later settled in Scotland where he surveyed several counties for water and minerals. He came under notice of J.T. Bigge, Esq., who recommended him to the Colonial Office as a fit person to supervise coal mining at Newcastle, N.S.W., and to devise a satisfactory water supply for Sydney. He was engaged in March, 1823, as mineral surveyor, and Civil Engineer to the Colony of New South Wales by Lord Bathurst. He arrived in Sydney on February 24th, 1824. He was at once sent off to Newcastle to superintend coal mining and to construct a breakwater. He then spent several months in New Zealand having been sent there to salvage a Government brig, the "Henrietta Elizabeth" which had gone ashore. A war vessel, H.M.S. Tees, had failed to refloat her, as a last resort John Busby was sent from Sydney, and with the aid of only six men he refloated here in 26 days. During the time spent in New Zealand he experienced great hardships and danger, in fact, on one occasion, he was taken by the Maoris who designed him for the "piece de resistance" of a meal, the earth oven was heated, and the dispatching blow was even aimed at his head, but in throwing up his arms to protect himself he brushed off the wig which he wore. This threw the Maoris into consternation and wonder which reprieved him and give him protection as a superior being. On his return to Sydney, he designed and carried out the first water supply of consequence for Sydney. A bore, or tunnel, was driven from the Botany Swamps to Hyde Park. The work was started in 1827 and finished in 1837 with convict labour. Parts of the tunnel are now being filled in, (July, 1935),as there is a possibility of danger from subsidence caused by the vibration of heavy traffic. He retired in 1837, when he received a gratuity of £1000 and a grant of 2,000 acres of land between Branxton and Singleton. He married Sarah Kennedy, the only daughter of the younger brother of the Earl of Cassilis, and there were five sons and one daughter who came to Australia.
The eldest son, George (1798-1870), passed his medical course in Edinburgh and on arriving in Australia was appointed Government Medical Officer to Norfolk Island in 1826. He returned to New South Wales and settled in Bathurst in 1828, being the first doctor to cross the Blue Mountains. He practiced his profession in Bathurst until his death in 1870. The second son, James (1800-1871), was appointed to manage a Government Estate shortly after his arrival in the colony in 1824. Seeing the possibilities of viticulture, when the opportunity occurred he returned to Europe at his own expense, collected vine cuttings in France and Spain which, together with seeds of various kinds, he brought back to Australia. He was practically the father of the wine growing in Australia, and many of the celebrated vineyards were established from his collection. A treatise on Viticulture from his pen was one of the first, if not the very first, publication printed by the Government Printer. In 1832 he was appointed British Resident in New Zealand, and it was largely due to his influence that New Zealand was added to the British Empire. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed at his house at Waitangi on 5th and 6th of February, 1840. It is learned that the draft treaty in Maori in his own writing has just come to light. Lord Bledisloe, while Governor General of New Zealand, purchased his old home together with 1,000 acres of land and presented it to the nation.
The third son, John (1806-1884), engaged in mercantile pursuits. The fourth son, Alexander (1808-1873), took up land at "Cassilis" and engaged in pastoral pursuits. Portion of the property is still in the hands of his descendants.
The fifth son, William (1813-1887), after assisting his father in the construction of the Sydney water supply acquired "Dalkeith", Cassilis. He was appointed to the Upper House in 1867.
The daughter, Catherine (1804-1872), married W. D. Kelman, her descendants became pioneer pastoralists in Queensland, holding at one period "Meteor Downs", Springsure. Mr. Catherine, in that neighbourhood, was named after her.
Dr. George Busby had three sons, John, Alexander and William, all of whom were in the service of the Commercial Banking Co., of Sydney Ltd. John had a great deal to do with the opening of the coal mines at Lithgow. Alexander had two sons, Hugh (1876-1929), practiced medicine in Bathurst until his death; and Harold, the subject of this memoir.
From: Pioneer Families of Australia (no date notated) pp32-34:
BUSBY
John Busby arrived at Sydney on 24 February 1824 by the Triton, accompanied by his wife and four sons and one daughter: his eldest son, George, following on 29 May 1825 by the Elizabeth. His experience as a mineral surveyor and civil engineer in Scotland, where he had completed a mineral survey of crown lands in Caithness, and provided a water supply for Leith fort, and also his connection with other public works, notably the Caledonian canal and Stirling castle, enabled the Secretary of State, in regard to his application to proceed to New South Wales in his professional capacity, to advise the Governor that he could be employed as "mineral surveyor and civil engineer," for 200 days a year for three years with liberty to continue his services, if required, for two years longer. Shortly after his arrival he surveyed and reported upon the coalfields at coal River, in Van Dieman's Land, and at Newcastle, Singleton and Maitland. In 1827 he devised a water supply for Sydney by undertaking to bring water from Lachlan Swamp, situated at the southern side of the present-day Centennial Park, to the south-east corner of Hyde Park, by a tunnel, subsequently determined to be a length of 12,000 feet or nearly 2 ? miles. The average width of the tunnel was 4 feet and the average height 5 feet. Although the tunnel was under construction for 10 years it began to supply Sydney with water in 1830, while the designer's expectations were eventually fulfilled by a flow of from three to four hundred thousand gallons a day. In accordance with the Secretary of State's sanction he was given a town grant of 8 acres 3 roods 23 perches on 19 October 1831, to be called "Rockwall", in the parish of Alexandria, co. Cumberland, and on 2 April 1835 2,000 acres on the Hunter River, co. Cumberland, subject to a quit rent of £15 per annum for ever.
Genealogy
John Busby and Elizabeth, his wife, dau. of Sir John Lisle, had issue, of whom,
The fifth son,
George, of Stamford; m. Margaret, dau. of George Wilson, notary, of Dunstan, Northumberland, and had issue of whom,
The eldest son,
John Busby (Pioneer), b. 24 March 1765; m. Sarah, only dau. Of James Kennedy, of Cluzean, Ayrshire, and d. 10 May 1857, at Singleton, NSW, having by her, who d. 25 Nov. 1842 at Singleton, NSW, had issue,
I George, L.R.C.S. (Edin.); an Assistant Colonial Surgeon (1826-1844); b. 18 Dec 1798; m. Agnes Thomson, and d. 29 Jan 1870, at Bathurst, having by her, who d. 26 Nov. 1906, had issue,
1 1 John, b. 16 Sept 1833, at Bathurst; m. 14 Jan 1858, Harriet, fourth dau. of W. D. Kelman, and d. 17 Feb 1891, having by her, who d. 18 April 1910, had issue,
2 1 George, b. 13 Dec 1863, at Bathurst; m. 11 April 1894, Grace, second dau. of J. A. Ranken, and d. 26 July 1908, at Dubbo, having had issue,
3 1 John, b. 1 May 1897; m. Sylvia May, dau. of A. G. Horton, and has issue,
4 1 George b. 26 Nov 1926
4 1 Shirley Ethel
3 2 George James, b. 9 June 1904, at Dubbo; m. 1 Nov 1945, Kathleen Mary, widow of T. M. Clark.
3 1 Lucy
3 2 Winifred
2 2 William Frederick, b. 23 April 1865; d. 16 Oct. 1867.
2 3 John Alexander, m. 19 June 1902, Voilet Effie Lawrence, and d. 30 March 1939, at Bowral, having had issue,
3 1 George Lawrence, d. young.
2 4 William Dalrymple, b. 29 Dec 1869, at Bathurst; d. 23 July 1942.
2 5 Arthur Lewis, b. 15 Nov 1873; m. Dorothy Smith, and d. 19 May 1931, having had issue,
3 1 Marjorie
3 2 Phyllis
2 1 Catherine, d. unm. 7 April 1937
2 2 Caroline
2 3 Florence
2 4 Sarah
2 5 Mary, d. unm. 29 April 1945.
2. 6 Beatrice, d. young, 22 July 1880
1 2 Alexander, b. 26 Dec 1847; m. May 1875, Katherine Adelaide, dau. of Frederic Michael Stokes, and d. 6 Jan. 1924, having had issue,
2 1 Hugh, M. B., Ch.M. (Syd.), F.R.C.S.A.; b. 12 April 1876, at Goulburn; m. Ethel Moore, and d. 6 Jan, 1924, having had issue,
3 1 Hugh, M.B., B.S. (Syd.); b. 8 Feb. 1918.
3 1 Enid Isobel, m. Cecil Reymond Weaver and has issue, three daughters.
3 2 Phyllis Jean, m. Anthony John Meagher and has issue, three sons.
3 3 Helen, m. Maxwell Gordon Edgell and has issue, one daughter.
3 4 Margaret, m. Wilfred E. Pennefather and has issue, one son and one daughter.
3 5 Patricia, m. Colin Rogerson and has issue, one son and one daughter.
2 2 Norman, b. 22 June 1877; d. 3 March 1878.
2 3 Harold Oscar, capt., A.I.F., Great War; b. 13 Sept. 1878 at Kiama; m. 19 Oct 1922, Marion Elsie, eldest dau. William Ashman Stokes, and by her has issue,
3 1 Barbara Agnes Sloan
3 2 Helen Sloan
2 4 Kenneth Alexander, b. 16 Aug 1880 at Kiama, d. infancy.
1 3 William Thomson, b. 21 Feb. 1852 at Bathurst; m. 27 March 1877, Jane Bell, dau. of Rev. T. A. Gordon, and d. 27 April 1913, having had issue,
2 1 William Thomson Atchison, b. 8 July 1880; d. infancy
2 2 George Gordon, b. 4 Dec 1882; m. Alice Lilian Hudson, of Thomas, N.Z. who d.s.p. 20 Oct 1937.
2 1 Catherine Bell, m. J. A. Thomson
2 2 Agnes Gordon
2 3 Lilian, m. George Cowles
1 1 Catherine, m. Alexander McEwan and has issue, three sons and seven daughters.
1 2 Agnes, m. 17 Feb 1853, John Stoddart Campbell and has issue, three sons and three daughters.
1 3 Jessie, m. 24 Sept 1868, as his second wife, Ven. W.J.K. Piddington, Archdeacon of Tamworth, and d. 24 April 1925, having by him, who d. 14 June 1897, had issue, three sons and one daughter.
1 4 Mary, m. James Nisbet and d.s.p. 26 Feb 1922. He d. 26 May 1930.
II James, British Resident in New Zealand (1833-1840); b. 14 Feb 1800; m. Agnes Dow, and d. 15 July 1871 at London, having had issue,
1 1 John Dow, b. 29 April 1934; m. Isabella Munro and had issue,
2 1 James, b. 16 April 1889; m. Winifred Mary Cullwick and has issue
3 1 Elizabeth Anne
3 2 Mary Agnes
2 2 William Baldwin, b. 18 May 1891; killed in Mesopotamia 1916.
1 3 James, b. 1838; d. 10 March 1840 at Sydney.
1 4 George Alexander, b. 1839; d. 5 Nov 1859, at Victoria, Bay of Islands
1 5 William, b. 19 Jan 1841 at Sydney; m. Marianne Davies and had issue,
2 1 George Alexander, m. Dorothy Waterhouse and has issue
3 1 Richard
3 2 John
3 1 Elizabeth, d. young
3 2 Mary
3 3 Judith
2 1 Agnes
2 2 Kathleen , m. D. Canning and by him has issue, four sons and two daughters.
2 3 Elsie
2 4 Beatrix, m. Charles Jefferd and his issue, two sons.
2 5 Helen Pearson
2 6 Elenor Maud, m. Frederick Jefferd and has issue, one son.
1 1 Sarah, m. John William Williams and by him had issue, eight sons and three daughters.
1 2 Agnes, b. 1843 d. 1847.
III John, b. 1806 at Edinburgh; d. unm. 26 March 1884 at Sydney, N.S.W.
IV. Alexander (Hon.), M.L.C. (N.S.W.), 1856-58; grantee on 14 Sept. 1839 of 960 acres on Munmurra Brook, co. Bligh, to be called "Cassilis", promised on 14 June 1831 as a primary grant; also of further adjoining areas of 660 acres on 20 April 1835; 640 acres on 18 Jan. 1836. and 1205 acres on 24 Nov 1837; b. 21 Sept 1808 at Edinburgh; m. Caroline Cripps, and d. 26 April 1873 in England, having had issue,
1 1 Alexander, b. 20 April 1856; m. Ella Busby (see VI:1.6), and d.s.p. 9 May 1927.
1 2 Charles William b. 8 Jan 1858; m. Minnie Caroline, eldest dau. of James Brindley Bettington, and d. 15 Dec 1914 at Westbury, Tas., leaving issue,
2 1 Alexander Ian, of "Cassilis"; b. 22 ct 1896; m. Elizabeth Clarice, dau. of John Blackwood, and has issue,
3 1 Alexander, b. 27 Dec 1934
3 1 Elizabeth
2 2 Charles Culzean, b. 20 March 1898; m. Elizabeth Isabel Moffat and has issue,
3 1 Clarles Cluzean, b. 1930
3 2 Thomas Hunter, b. 1933
3 1 Marie Fairie
3 2 Susanna
3 3 Patricia
2 1 Constance Minnie
2 2 Mollie, m. Guy Owen Meredith and has issue, two sons and two daughters.
2 3 Jean, m. Reginald Auger Davis and has issue.
1 3 Arthur Kennedy, b. 9 Feb 1860; d. 11 Aug 1860
1 4 William (Rev) M. A. New College, Oxford; Rector, St. John Maddermarket, Norwich 1898-1923; All Saints', Wellbourne, Norfolk, from 1923.; b. at Richmond, Surrey.
1 1 Constance Catherine, b. 29 June 1861; m. John Hanmer, and has issue, five sons and two daughters.
1 2 Louisa Beatrix
1 3 Emily Blanche, m. Robert Wainewright and has issue, two sons and three daughters.
1 4 Nora Octavia, m. Arthur Walter Noyes, colonel, 2nd Batt., West Yorkshire Regt., and d. 19 Nov 1938 in Lond. He d. 1910 in Egypt.
1 5 Susan Murray, m. Paul Genevoix
V William b. and d. 1812.
VI William (Hon.), M.L.C. (N.S.W) 1867-87); b. 15 Jan 1813; m. 20 Dec 1856, Catherine Annie, dau. of Thomas Woore, of Pomeroy, Goulburn, and d. 23 June 1887, having by her, who d. 8 May 1910 in England, had issue,
1 1 Thomas Woore Frederick, b. 20 Dec 1859, m. Augusta Eliza Mitchell, eldest dau. of E. C. Merewether, and d. 3 Oct 1941, having by her, who d. 25 Oct 1941, had issue,
2 1 Frederick William Merewether, 2nd lieut., R.F.A., B.E.F., Great War; b. 1 April 1892, died of wounds 11 Feb 1917 in France.
2 1 Augusta Dora Merewether
2 2 Ella Catherine Merewether, m. Leo Barclay Heath, M.B., Ch. M. (Syd.), capt., 19th Batt. A.I.F., Great War, and his issue, one son.
1 2 Alexander Hamilton, d. 23 Oct 1910, at Sydney
1 3 William Barker, m. 24 June 1908 Eleanor Mary Learmonth, and has issue,
2 1 William Robert Learmouth, b. 20 Dec 1910; m. 15 Aug 1942, Winsome Mary, dau. of J.W.E. Liston, and has issue,
3 1 William John, b. 12 April 1944.
3 1 Caroline
2 1 Caroline, m. 1930, Harold Rodd, and has issue, one son and two daughters.
2 2 Heather Mary Noel, m. 1940 Hugh Austin.
1 4 George Harrington, m. Ida Beecher and has issue,
2 1 Peter
1 1 Katherine Annie, m. John Bloyd Donkin and has issue, two sons and one daughter.
1 2 Frances Mary, d. 16 Jan 1909, at Margate, Kent.
1 3 Lily Florence, m. Richard Fraser Hoskyn, commander, R.N., and by him, who d. in India, had issue, two sons and one daughter.
1 4 Alice Maude, d. young 22 May 1867
1 5 Marion, d. young 24 May 1867
1 6 Ella, m. Alexander Busby (see IV:1,1)
1 7 Sarah Kennedy, d. in infancy, 22 Nov 1872.
1 8 Edith Octavia, m. 17 Dec 1895, at London, Corland Herbert Simpson, C.B., rear-admiral, R.N., eldest son of vice-admiral C.H. Simpson, R.N., and has issue, one son and three daughters.
I Catherine, b. Sept 1804 at Edinburgh; m. 16 Feb 1827 at Sydney, William Dalrymple Kelman, and d. 1872, having by him had issue, four sons and four daughters.
II Margaret, twin with Alexander, d. 1813 in Ireland.
Source unnoted:
Busby, John (1765-1857), civil engineer, was born at Alnwick, Northumberland, England. His father, a coalmaster, trained him in that business, and he became, at the age of 19, manager of a coalmine. Gradually developing special skill in mine-locating and surveying, he adopted the profession of mineral surveyor and civil engineer and worked for three years in Ireland. He then settled in Scotland, where he surveyed several counties for minerals and water and was employed on many important public works, including the water supply of the fort at Leith. John Bigge (q.v.) recommended Busby to the Colonial Office as a fit person to supervise coal mining at Newcastle, N.S.W., and to devise a water supply for Sydney. He was accordingly engaged in March 1823 for three years at £200 a year, with the right to practice privately "outside 200 days in each year".
On his way to Sydney Busby stayed for a short time in Tasmania to investigate deposits of coal that had been reported from Coal River and Schouten Island; his opinion of the island coal was very favourable. He reached Sydney on 24th February 1824 and was at once dispatched to superintend mining operations at Newcastle and to construct a breakwater there. His most important work was the construction of Sydney's first regular water supply, In 1825 the town depended on (a) private wells, (b) the tanks at the corner of Hunter and Pitt streets, and (c) water brought in barrels from the Blackwattle swamp on the west and the Lachlan and Botany swamps on the south. Busby's first proposal was to pump water from the swamp at Waterloo to a reservoir at Hyde Park, driving the pump either by steam-engine, a water wheel, or a treadmill propelled by convicts; he favoured the water wheel. The Colonial Office characteristically found the treadmill proposal the only part of his scheme that it could thoroughly approve. In 1826 John Oxley and William Dumaresq concurred in a new suggestion of Busby's that "driving a Mine the whole way" would bring the water into Syndy at a level high enough to supply most of the town, and a small water wheel at the town end would pump enough to supply the rest of it; and in September 1827 the work was begun.
The excavation by convicts of a tunnel 12,000 feet long and only 5 feet high was likely to be slow in completion if not continuously and thoroughly supervised; moreover, unexpected deviations became necessary to avoid quicksands in one locality and a bed of pipeclay in another. Busby, too, was growing old and infirm, so that Sir Richard Bourke insisted on the employment of his son, William Busby, as overseer, the salary being divided between father and son. The tunnel was not completed until June 1837. The Hyde Park Reservoir was never constructed, the water being supplied to users through a standpipe. "Busby's Bore" sufficed for the needs of Sydney until 1849.
When Busby retired on 30th June 1837, he received a gratuity of £1000 and a grant of 2000 acres at Kirketon on the Hunter River between Branxton and Singleton. He settled there and died on 10th May 1857.
Busby, William (1813-1887), pastoralist, sixth child of John Busby and Sarah Kennedy, was born in England on 15th June 1813 and emigrated to NSW with his parents in 1824.
He assisted his father in the construction of the tunnel, known as "Busby's Bore", which supplied Sydney with water. When the work was finished he engaged in pastoral pursuits in the northern district of NSW. In 1849 he and his brother Alexander held Oaky Creek and Large Oaky Creek stations in the Bligh pastoral districts.
Busby was appointed to the Legislative Council in July 1867 and remained a member until his death on 23 June 1887. He married Annie, daughter of Thomas Wood of Goulburn and they had 12 children.
Also refer to the Historical Information Leaflet from The Army Museum Society (Victoria Barracks, NSW) Inc. "Busby's Bore", Historical Structures Series No. 1.
From Australian Dictionary of Biography
BUSBY, William, (1813-1887), pastoralist and politician, was born on 15 January 1813 in England, the sixth son of John Busby (q.v.) and his wfe Sarah, nee Kennedy. He arrived with his parents at Sydney in the Triton in February 1824. In May 1831 he was employed by his father, without government pay, on a two mile tunnel from the Lachlan Swamp to Hyde Park, designed to provide Sydney with a regular water supply. In 1834, because of the failure of his father to expedite the project, William was appointed by Governor Burke as overseer to this costly enterprise, at £200 a year to be deducted from his father's salary. On the completion of the water scheme in 1837 Busby devoted himself to pastoral affairs, he and an elder brother, Alexander (1808-1873) taking up land in the County of Bligh. By 1885 he had acquired 42,000 acres near Cassilis which in that year carried 17,000 sheep. That property, Dalkeith, was also noted as a horse stud.
Busby was appointed a life member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in July 1867, but like many other members his political career was not marked by any conspicuous service; in the second half of his term of office he rarely attended the council. He was, however, active in the Agricultural Society of NSW, a director of the Mercantile Bank of Sydney; and an early member of the Australian Club in Sydney; apart from these interests he had few others outside his family and his grazing pursuits. In 1875 he was elected a member of the Royal Society of NSW.
On 20 December 1856 at St. James's Church Sydney, he married Catherine Anne, only daughter of Thomas Woore of Pomeroy, Goulburn; they had four sons and eight daughters. The eldest son Thomas Woore Frederick (1859-1941) married Augusta Eliza Mitchell, eldest daughter of E. C. Merewether (q.v.). William Busby died at his Sydney residence, Redleaf, Double Bay, on 23 June 1887, and was buried at St. Jude's churchyard, Randwick; he was survived by his wife and nine children. His estate was sworn for probate at more than £106,000.
From "Australasian" 19 April 1913:
One Against Three
Apropos of a subject dealt with in my notes last week, connected with old Cassilis Station, some details regarding the part played in that drama by the late Mr. Alex. Busby have now been supplied. It appears that Mr. Busby set out alone in pursuit of the desperadoes, sending back word to the police to let them know that he was on the track of the gang. He followed these tracks through the long grass for many miles, until he had finally located the trio in a lonely hut. The best means of attack was represented by an old army pistol, single barrel, with a flintlock. At the critical moment of advance the gallant pursuer discovered that the powder had fallen out of the pan, and that as a firearm the pistol was practically useless. However, he tucked it into his bet with the intention of using it when needed as a bludgeon. Dashing the entrance of the hut, Mr. Busby succeeded in grabbing two of the ruffians by the back of the neck and bringing their heads together with such force that one at least was effectively disabled, and the other ..hors de combat temporarily. He succeeded in dodging the blows aimed at him by the third man, until his opportunity came to lay him out with a blow from his pistol. Having floored each in turn, he soon had the lot tied and trussed up like chickens, and was thus found in command of the situation when the police subsequently caught up with their zealous leader. For this extraordinary feat (to which in his own official report of the proceedings he made no reference) Mr Busby was publicly thanked, and in other ways deservedly eulogised by his fellow colonists. The three ruffians were armed with bludgeons, and had in their possession a pistol (with which the murder had been committed), but had no opportunity to do any shooting. The incident is in other ways unique - such as the breaking into a gaol for the express purpose of releasing a prisoner, in order that vengeance might be wreaked upon him for having played the part of an informer.
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