Retford Park, a stunningly beautiful grand Victorian Italianate mansion, designed by Albert Bond, was built by Samuel Hordern (of the well-known retailing family) in 1887, for use as a cattle stud, breeding Jersey and Ayrshire cattle.
1 Exploration
Hamilton Hume claimed in 1826 that he and his brother had
discovered the country later referred to as the County of Argyll when
they travelled through the Bargo Brush to the area around Sutton
Forest and Bong Bong in 1814. Being only 17 years old in 1814 Hume
was most probably in the company of his uncle, John Kennedy, after
whom Kennedy's Brush was named. In Governor Macquarie's view,
Kennedy was the first white person to traverse the area. In the
following years Hume became associated with most major expeditions
in the area and with its general exploration.¹
The 1812-1816 drought catalysed occupation of the region. The
County of Cumberland was under the pressure of population growth
(due to increased immigration and transportation after the close of the
Napoleonic Wars in 1815) and of declining yields from exhausted soils.
The effects of drought and caterpillar plagues exacerbated the
pressure on land in this period, thus the expansion of settlement was
recognised as a necessity and a decision regarding the utilisation of
the wild cattle rather than merely protecting them and their grazing
lands was imperative. In 1816 John Oxley had obtained permission
from Macquarie to send stock to Wingecarribee near the site of the
present town of Bowral. He moved 500 head of stock from the Bargo
district, becoming the pioneer settler of the region.2
Between 1816 and 1830 exploration intensified: in 1816 Hume further
explored the district; in 1817 Throsby, Hume and Wild travelled from
the Cow Pastures to the west of Sutton Forest; and in 1818 James
Meehan, Charles Throsby, Hamilton Hume and Joseph Wild passed
through the Berrima District, splitting into two parties Throsby
travelled to the coast via Kangaroo Valley while Meehan and Hume
travelled to the Goulburn Plains, in the process the Bargo, Moss Vale,
Bundanoon, Marulan, Meryla Pass, Kangaroo Valley and Jervis Bay
Districts were traversed. In 1819 Throsby and Wild pioneered the
route from Bong Bong to the Bathurst District. Joseph Wild explored
the Burragawang area in 1820.3
_________________________________
J. Jervis,`The Wingecarribee and Southern Highlands District', Journal of the Royal
Australian Historical Society, Vol.XXIII, Pt. IV, Sydney, 1937, p. 247; D.N. Jeans, An
Historical Geography of New South Wales to 1901, Reed Education, Sydney, 1972, p. 38;
J. Jervis, A History of the Berrima District 1798 - 1973, Library of Australian History in
association with Wingecarribee Shire Council, 1986, North Sydney, p.9.
J. Jervis, `The Wingecarribee ...', pp. 251 - 252.
J. Jervis, `The Wingecarribee ...', p. 247; Conservation Planning Issues: A Discussion
Paper ... Throsby Park Historic Site, National Parks and Wildlife Service, 1982; D.W.
Holland, A History Of The Parish Of Robertson, 1976, p. 23.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
2 European Occupation
1
Macquarie rewarded Throsby's exploration with a grant of 1000 acres
selected from within the explored area. To encourage further settlement in the area Macquarie made other grants. Throsby and five
other free settlers took up lands in the Berrima District at Sutton
Forest and were victualled from the Commissariat at Liverpool.
Throsby was responsible for the construction of the first road from
Stonequarry Creek to beyond the Cookbundoon Range which
commenced with Wild as overseer. Oxley was promised 2,400 acres in
the Parish of Bendooley.4
These initial grants and, more importantly, the establishment of a road
into the region marked the areas opening up for settlement. The ten
years from 1820 were pioneering years in the region, but settlement
was slow and despite its proximity to Sydney, isolated. In 1820
Macquarie selected a site for a village to service the Sutton Forest
settlers that was to be called Bong Bong. The district of Sutton Forest
was also named by Macquarie at this time and wheat was under
cultivation by the settlers. By 1821 James Atkinson had stock at
Oldbury, near Berrima.5 In that year James Macarthur noted of the
'new country':
I never saw a country more suitable to cattle but it is too
wet for sheep. The extent is trifling, perhaps 20,000 acres.
Of this Dr. Throsby occupies one half with 800 herds of
horned cattle. He has established himself near the river and
backed himself in to the Westward by six farms to ninety
acres each, the proprietors of which all ran away with the
exception of two.
John Oxley was instructed to survey the area onwards from Bargo and
through the County of Argyll as far as the Cookbundoon River in 1823.
The surveyors played a crucial part in the settlement of the region.
After the surveys, title could be given and land taken up with some
security of tenure. Bong Bong was the first village surveyed and
formed in the region, the first structure being for police use. The cart
track to Bong Bong and beyond over the Cookbundoon Range had
been completed in 1821. It was the intention of Governor Macquarie
that Bong Bong would be developed as the capital of the County of
Camden. But the Macarthurs had other ideas, and were to promote
Camden as the gateway to the southern highlands. In 1822, Harper
surveyed the Mittagong area, the Bong Bong area and then Sutton
Forest.7
In 1829 Major Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor-General of New South
Wales, selected the site of Berrima whilst planning a new route south;
the original road over the Mittagong Range being too steep for horse and bullock drawn traffic. Mitchell believed that the site of Berrima
was superior to that of Bong Bong. At any rate, Bong Bong had an
uncertain water supply. The area was still isolated and settlement
scattered, rugged bushland also provided refuge for escaped convicts
and those inclined toward highway robbery. The area, enroute to the
south, within a reasonable distance from Sydney, however, was
becoming increasingly settled.
At this time cattle were the chief stock; being easily driven to the
Sydney market. Farms were a mixture of small holdings owned by eхconvicts and large holdings owned by free settlers or ex-members of
the administration. Elementary processing of primary produce
commenced with the establishment, by 1827, of a post windmill for
milling flour at Atkinson's property, Oldbury.9
Between 1850 and 1870 Berrima emerged as the main town in the
region, followed in importance by Mittagong and Bowral, these latter
more appropriately being called villages. There were also a number of
small settlements established in the region and it was the coming of
the railway and its specific route that determined those that flourished
in these years and those that did not. The establishment of villages
was also the result of the occupation of land by selectors after the
passage of the Robertson Land Act in 1861: towns were needed to
service farming districts. 10
The establishment of the railway marked the beginning of the district's
recognition as a tourist resort focussed on Moss Vale and Bowral. It
was noted in the Sydney Morning Herald that during 1868:
many of the gentry from Sydney coming to the township on
a visit and from the salubrity of the climate here induce
many to erect country residences, which has already been
done by a few. 11
By 1870, the population distribution and general focus of development
of the area had shifted from the old road through Berrima to the
towns of Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale which were on the railway.
The resort potential of the southern highlands was recognised as
Sydney residents sought relief in the area from the summer heat and
the 'miasmas' associated with city living. County residences and
holiday accommodation were in demand: boarding houses were built
in Moss Vale and Sutton Forest from 1870-71 while country holiday
homes began to be built in Bowral from the late 1870s (Bowral was to
attract most tourist business from the 1880s).12 The area was drawn into the leisure/resort industry and promoted as the 'Sanatorium of
the South'.
__________________________________________________________________
4 Conservation Planning Issues ....; J. Jervis, `The Wingecarribee ...', pp. 252-253.
5 J.Revitt, Historic Berrima, Anvill Press, Narara, 1979, p. 6; Conservation Planning Issues
....; R. Roxburgh, A Brief History of Berrima, Berrima Village Trust.
6 Citted in J. Jervis, The Wingecarribee ..., p. 253.
7 J. Jervis, `The Wingecarribee ...', p. 257; 261 - 262; J. Cavanough, et. al.,988, p. 23;
'Camden Park Conservation Plan', History Report.
8 S.O. Wrightson, Notes on Early History of Berrima Village, Berrima Village Trust, 1968;
J.Revitt, op. cit., р. 6.
9 D.N. Jeans, op. cit., p. 103; Conservation Planning Issues....
10 P. Ashton with K. Blackmore, On The Land: A Photographic History of Farming in
Australia, Kangaroo Press, Sydney, 1987, pp. 25-26; 28.
11 J. Jervis,`The Wingecarribee ...', pp. 277.
12 J. Jervis, The Wingecarribee ...', p. 247; R. Ralph, Hillview, Berrima District Historical Society, 1986, pp 10 - 11; J. Jervis, A History of the Berrima District, pp. 164-170.
13
14
15
SRNSW: Primary Application Packet 5638 at 10/26540. Grant to George Robert Nichols in
Trust.
SRNSW: Surveyor General, Surveyors' Field Books, No. 185, Harper, SZ968, R. 2624
SRNSW: Surveyor General, Letters Received from Surveyors, Larmer, 2/1594. R. 3073;
Colonial Secretary, Letters Received Re: Land, 2/7958, R.1176; Supreme Court, Equity
Division, No 2923 at 3/3867.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.1 Edward Riley, the elder
Edward Riley, the elder, was a merchant and pastoralist who had
begun his colonial career as a merchant in Calcutta, trading between
Calcutta and Canton and the Australian colonies. Edward was the
younger brother of Alexander Riley who arrived in NSW as a free
settler in 1804. Alexander involved himself in farming, trade and
various official positions. He began raising sheep on his farm Raby
near Liverpool. His mercantile partnership with Richard Jones saw him
begin to prosper, and he was able to draw on his brother Edward's
connections. Edward immigrated to New South Wales in 1816, having
remarried after the death of his first wife. He had a mercurial
temperament and suffered frequent bouts of depression. However, by
1817 Alexander had become disillusioned with colonial life and trading
conditions and returned to England, leaving his affairs in the hands of
Edward. Back in the United Kingdom, Alexander began to realise the
potential value of his property, Raby and to develop an understanding
of efficient methods of wool production. Collaborating with Edward,
they imported into New South Wales a flock of Saxon Merino sheep,
chartering the Sir George Osburn to do so; the sheep were reputedly
better accommodated than many of the human passengers. They
arrived in excellent condition under the supervision Edward Riley, the
younger, Alexander's nephew and Edward, senior's son. But Edward
Riley, the elder, committed suicide in February 1825 and the flock
arrived in December of that year and were left in the inexperienced
care of Edward, the younger. The sheep according to Jill Ker Conway
were the foundation of the 'most important strain in the development
of the Australian merino and their importance to the Australian
pastoral industry is probably greater than any other single flock'. 16
They were grazed at Raby and Cavan on the Murrumbidgee, near Yass
Plains. 17
_________________________________________________________________
16 J. Ker, 'Riley, Alexander', (1778?-1833), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol.2
Melbourne University Press, 1967, pp.379-381; Sydney Gazette, 19 December 1825, p.2.
17 The Sydney Herald, 7 August 1834.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.2 George Riley
Bloomfield remained relatively undeveloped for some years. In the
1828 census when Edward Riley, the younger was 22 years old and his
brother George was 20 they are listed as living at Raby, the property
of their uncle, Alexander.18 In the journal of William, the son of
Alexander, reference was made in 1830 to the family's sheep and
cattle station, near Riley's Flat but George later claimed that he was in
'sole possession'19 of the property from the time he moved to it, in
1829. Riley's Flat was located on part of the study area, situated
between Retford Park house and Old South Road.20 [See Figure 5]
In 1832 an agreement between the Riley heirs was reached as to the
partition of the Riley Estate but not formally enacted, in reality George
continued to occupy Broomfield.21 In February 1841 Robert Campbell
and William Walker on behalf of Edward Riley, the younger
(deceased), and George Riley represented by his lawyer George
Robert Nichols brought a case before the Commissioners of Claims to
determine ownership of Broomfield. It was alleged that the 1530
acres received in compensation for the Hobart land, surrendered
c.1820, were the joint property of Edward Riley, the younger and
George Riley. Edward Riley, the younger claimed the remaining 1500
acre portion as heir at law.22 An outcome of the case, which
partitioned the Riley Estate between seven heirs, was the issuing of
the Bloomfield grant in May 1841 to George's solicitor George Nichols,
and for its management in accord with instructions in the wills of both
Edward Riley, the elder and the younger. Evidence before a later case
for partition of the property establishes that George continued to
occupy the property.
George originally built a house near the Wingecarribee River and
cleared some 40 acres. This was situated further south of the study
area and was on part of the portion subdivided from the estate in
1882 and indicated in Figures 5 and 6. For 20 years, up to seven
tenants occupied small farms on the Riley's Flat area, clearing the land
and then cultivating it.23
Advertisements over the decade indicate that in the 1830s George's
stock included cattle and horses. For example, in July 1833 George
Riley advertised a reward of £1 for information regarding the
18 Malcolm R. Sainty and Keith A Johnson (eds.), Census of New South Wales- November
1828, Library of Australian History, Sydney, 1985.
19 The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 July 1881, p.8.
20 William Riley, journal entry for 1830 cited in 'The Journals of William Edward Riley,
JRAHS, Vol.32, Pt. iv, 1946, р.222.
21 The Sydney Herald, 28 June 1841, p.2.
22 The Sydney Gazette, 16 February 1841, p.4. Case No. 902.
23 SRNSW: Supreme Court, Equity Division, Walker v Riley, Case No. 2923 at 3/3867.
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whereabouts of runaway contract stock keeper, James Holt, who had
abandoned Riley's cattle and farm Broomfield, 'to the mercy of the
world' .24 In January 1834 Riley offered £20 reward for the return of a
dusty black gelding, stolen or strayed from Broomfield and in 1837 a
number of horses were put up for auction. In May 1838, 50 cows with
calves were offered for sale from Broomfield. Similar sales dot the
press over the following decades. In addition to his pastoral activities,
in the 1830s George also ran a store at Broomfield, supplying an '...
extensive stock of Goods... with every description of Supplies ...
Wines, Spirits, Tobacco, Groceries, &c.; an extensive assortment of
Winter Clothing, worthy of the Immediate attention of Innkeepers. To
whom a liberal allowance will be made. 25 In the Riley mercantile
tradition he accepted produce in exchange and also purchased
produce for sale. On 2nd January 1837 George had married Phillis
Hanks at Bong Bong, and by October 1847 she had given birth to their
8th child. Their partnership lasted until her death at Broomfield in
1867.26
TO CONNOISSEURS IN HORSES.
THE Public are respectfully informed that about the last week in June, Mr. George Riley, of Broomfield, intends offering for Sale the following lot of Horses, viz. –
1. – A pair of bright bay Horses, stands fifteen hands and a half high, three years old; well worthy the attention of any person desirous of a pair of first-rate Carriage Horses.
2. – A light Chestnut Hunter, stands fifteen hands and one inch high, well proportioned, high bred, three years old, good in harness.
3. – A bright bay Cob, stands about fifteen hands, very powerful, got by Whisker, three years old, good in harness.
4. – A bright bay Gelding, stands about fifteen hands and one inch, cut out for hunting, five years old, got by Old Camerton, good in harness.
5. – A dark bay Mare, stands fifteen hands and one inch, very powerful, four years old, highly bred, fit to carry any weight, has the appearance of a real Yorkshire hunter.
To stand at Livery at Sandwell's Hotel.
Figure 3 'For the Connoisseurs of Horses' - an advertisement placed
by George Riley of Broomfield in June 1837. [The Sydney Herald, 15
June 1837, p.1 – Trove]
24 The Sydney Herald, 15 July 1833, p.1
25 The Sydney Herald, 19 June 1837, p.1.
26 The Sydney Herald, 15 July 1833, p.1; 9 January 1834, p.2; 19 June 1837, p.1; The
Sydney Gazette, 5 May 1838, p.3; The Sydney Herald, 15 June 1837, p.4 The Sydney
Morning Herald, 26 September 1867, p.7; 20 October 1847, p.3.
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NOTICE.
AT the request of many Graziers and Settlers, Mr. George Riley has been induced to add a large variety of Articles to his Stores, and takes this opportunity of apprising those up-country Residents who will take the trouble of viewing his extensive stock of Goods, that they can meet with every description of Supplies at his Establishment at reasonable terms, the object of the Proprietor being only to remunerate himself for all road disasters attendant on the tedious trips to Sydney.
Wines, Spirits, Tobacco, Groceries, &c.; an extensive assortment of Winter Clothing, worthy of the immediate attention of Innkeepers, to whom a liberal allowance will be made.
The Proprietor, with a view of affording every accommodation, begs to intimate that Orders will be Cashed.
All kinds of Colonial Produce bought or taken in exchange. Bullocks, Hides, &c.
Broomfield, near Bong Bong, June 8, 1837.
Figure 4 Advertisement for Riley's Broomfield store in June 1837.
[The Sydney Herald, 15 June 1837, p.4 – Trove]
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Debts accumulated in the drought of 1875/76 saw both George and his
son Joseph Riley became heavily mortgaged and in January 1877
Joseph was before the insolvency court with liabilities of £297 and
assets of £12. His estate was surrendered.27 In the extended fallout of
the financial disaster, George placed a public notice, in 1880 stating
that Joseph was no longer his agent or manager in any capacity
whatsoever.28 In 1881, disaster also hit George when a suit for the
partition of Bloomfield, Riley vs Walker, was brought before the
Supreme Court, Equity Division, which saw the breakup of the estate
that he had developed over more than 50 years. This suit was a
consequence of the 1832 agreement between Riley heirs and the 1840
proceedings which saw the Bloomfield grant in trust to Nichols referred
to previously.29
In Walker v Riley, George Riley testified that he had lived on the
property since 1829, but had known it since 1825 and had been given
permission to occupy the land in August 1827.
I originally resided in a house built by myself near the
Wingecarribee River and cleared and cultivated about 40
acres of the adjoining land ... I removed from that dwelling
to this side of the estate in 1839 and to my present
residence about sixteen years ago [1849].
When I first knew this estate the flat in front of my present
house known as "Riley's Flats" was a swamp and quite
impassible. I caused a drain to be dug which is now
represented by the deep creek which runs through this land,
thus draining the swamp and enabling the land to be
cultivated. This flat was occupied by tenants for 5 or 7 years
who cultivated the land. With few exceptions the whole of
this estate consists of good land ... the north eastern part of
this estate is watered by springs, there are three small wells
which were used by the tenants, these wells are from 10 to
12 feet deep...30
The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 January 1877, p.8; 3 April 1877,p.3; SRNSW: Primary
Application 6276 at 6/10097.
28 The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 September 1880, p.11.
29 The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 July 1881, p.8.
30 SRNSW: Supreme Court, Equity Division, Walker v Riley, Case No. 2923 at 3/3867.
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Figure 5
This survey dated January 1882 shows the partition of
Riley's Bloomfield/Broomfield Eatate. George Riley's original
house is located in the south-west portion near the figure
"A" in an area of about 40 acres which George cleared and
cultivated. He lived there for about 10 years. Riley's Flats
which were tenanted by small farmers for some 20 years
are in the area where a racecourse and grandstand are
indicated - these features are partly encompassed within
the current Retford Park boundaries. George's second
residence is not indicated, but his principle residence with a
number of outbuildings is shown near the figure "3".
[SRNSW: Supreme Court, Equity Division, Walker v Riley,
Case No. 2923 at 3/3867.]
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
To settle the partition dispute George wrote to John Campbell, who
was party to the case, offering the following proposal:
Now I will give you up possession of 1500 acres granted to
my father also 765 acres half of the 1530 acres provided
you will give me my 765 acres and the surplus viz 353 acres
which is not mentioned in the grant, to me (give me this
surplus land which I hold) if this proposition meets your
approbation all law will be at an end or else I fear the
lawyers will have the estate - I am quite indifferent which
way it terminates - my wife has been dead now ten years.
My boys have got homes except two of them, my two
daughters that have been living with me ever since the
death are about to be married to men I cannot have any
intercourse with, therefore they have left me to follow out
their own wishes. I merely state the above lest you might
be led to believe I am leading a reckless life, I am as I have
all along been a miserable man. 31
George had cleared, fenced and cultivated the land since his
occupation in 1829 and expended some £3,000. At least £2,000 was
spent on the construction of his residence with offices and outbuildings
and their ongoing maintenance.32
It was ordered that the 'Commission of Partition' should divide the
entire property in the same proportion as the 3030 were to be divided
and that the portion allowed George Riley should surround the house
he had built. That division of the 3030 acre property had been: 1500
to the trustees of the will of Edward Riley; 765 acres to the trustees of
the will of Edward Riley, the younger; and the other 765 acres to
George Riley. 33 George was also to be compensated for any lasting
improvements he had made to the other portions of the property. The
share allocated to the trustees of Edward Riley senior was to be sold
and costs were to be reserved. 34
31
32
SRNSW: Affidavit of George Riley in Supreme Court, Equity Division, Walker v Riley, Case
No. 2923 at 3/3868.
SRNSW: Affidavit of George Riley in Supreme Court, Equity Division, Walker v Riley, Case
No. 2923 at 3/3868.
33 The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 July 1881, p.8.
34 The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 July 1881, p.8.
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The following year the property began to be sold off by the Riley
family. In October 1882, an advertisement was placed in The Sydney
Morning Herald notifying the auction of 857 acres of 'magnificent
property, comprising the homestead portion of the celebrated
Bloomfield Estate, consisting of the richest and most elevated part,
with springs of pure water', on instructions from Joseph Riley.35 This
was the portion allocated to George. It remained on the market
intermittently advertised across the next year. In November 1883 the
Sheriff's Office announced that the property would be sold on the
verandah of the Supreme Court on the 24th of that month for cash, as
resolution of a case Goode V Riley, unless the writs of Fieri Facias
were satisfied.36 On the 21st November the property was conveyed to
Robert Snowden, averting the auction, yet this was not the end of the
matter, in March 1888, the estate of Joseph Riley, queried whether
the conveyance from George Riley37 to Snowden was intended merely
as a security rather than an absolute conveyance. 38 It was ultimately
purchased by Samuel Horden.39
a
In late 1882 a portion comprising 1710 acres of the southern portion
of Broomfield was subdivided into smaller allotments and is adjacent
to the study area. This area roughly corresponds to the portion to be
allocated to the Trustees of the estate of Edward Riley senior. Auction
notices from December 1882, as 1689 acres divided into blocks from 5
to 40 acres. The auction was ultimately held at Riley's Royal Hotel
Bowral on Saturday 31st March 1883.40 It encompassed the area
where George's original homestead had been constructed in 1829.
35 The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 October 1882, p.16.
36 The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 November 1883, p.17
37 Reference to George here is confusing as the Supreme Court auction notice refers to it as
the property of Joseph Riley. There is no doubt that George was the owner - See РА
No.6276.
38 The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 March 1888, p.13
39 LTO: DP 1416
40 The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 April 1882, p.17; LTO: CT Vol 730 Fol 226; The Sydney
Morning Herald, 2 December 1882, p.17; The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 March 1883,
p.17;
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110 ac
Figure 6 This plan shows that part of Bloomfield that was subdivided
from the original holding in 1882. This appears to be the share
allocated to the trustees of the estate Edward Riley senior. It was on
this portion the George constructed his first house in 1829 and where
he lived for the next 10 years and from presumably from where he ran
his store.[LTO: CT Vol 730 Fol 226.]
