Trove Tuesday – Benoit in Mt Rowan

It’s only a baby step forward, but it is definitely something I hadn’t known until now.

Benoit at Mt Rowan

I did know that  my great-great-grandfather, Charles Gustave Benoit,  was a gardener. I also knew that at least of two of the children were born in the 1860s at Mt Rowan, just to the north of Ballarat in Central Victoria.

Benoit at Bothwell Gardens, Creswick Rd  (Mt Rowan)

But now  using Trove The Geelong Advertiser of March 21st, 1864  has provided me with my first reference  to a specific place in Mt Rowan – Bothwell Gardens on Creswick Road,

Best Collection of garden fruits – First prize £2, second do, £1.  Francis Moss, first prize; James Duncan, second do. ; G. Benoit, Bothwell Gardens, Creswick Road; and Isaac Westcott

I can also assume that Charles Gustave was known by his middle name of Gustave.  I wonder if anyone just called him Gus.

So I have this one mention of Gustave being at Bothwell Gardens but I have found other references of an estate called Bothwell Springs in the same area.

What is Bothwell Springs ?

July 6th 1865 in the Ballarat Star.

Am I to assume that Bothwell Gardens and Bothwell Springs are two separate places ?

The next find was back at the beginning of 1862 when  a partnership was dissolved between Gustave Benoit and W. Henry Tissot.

This time the title is Bothwell Spring Garden.

This advertisement was placed in the Ballarat Star on 12th February 1862.

The  witness.  John Dalgleish  (pictured) lived at Bothwell Springs and was later Shire President of nearby Learmonth.

In my mind now is the question was Bothwell Gardens as gardened  by Gustave Benoit part of the Bothwell Springs estate?

Was Gustave Benoit leasing land from John Dalgleish for his market garden ?

 

But Gustave hadn’t paid his Shire Rates in 1865

Gustave appeared before two Justices of the Peace in Learmonth because he hadn’t paid his shire rates.  He settled his dues.  The Ballarat Star had this entry on  June 20th 1865.

But if he had to pay rates doesn’t that mean that he owned his own land and was not renting his plot.

A small step forward .  Things to ponder and investigate.  But it has opened up further possibilities.

Thanks to Trove and the digitization of Australian newspapers.