CHARLES AND CHARLOTTE SHERWOOD Nee BATTEN   

The following biographical entry appeared in Victoria and Its Metropolis in 1888 and refers to Charles.

SHERWOOD Charles; Tarranginnie, born in Cambridge shire in 1835, came out to South Australia when 20 years of age and did his first years work on a station, after which in conjunction with his brother he farmed on rented land at Mt. Barker for 12 months, but returned and worked for 3 more years on the same station; then, after 4 years spent in labouring, farming and contracting at Guichen Bay and Mount Gambier and 3 years in farming at Penola, in 1877 he came to Victoria and selected 320 acres of land at Mount Arapiles, which he farmed for five years when he sold out, went to Tarranginnie, bought 295 acres and has been engaged in farming ever since. He has also bought 252 acres additional.  In 1887 he had 300 acres in crop.

According to his granddaughter, Kath Shultz, Charles married Charlotte Batten, Christmas Day 1868 at the Batten residence Mount Gambier.

The earliest reference to Charles in Victoria is found in the Victorian Government Gazette. A license for land at Natimuk, dated the 1 October 1874, was approved for Charles Sherwood junior.  A license fee of 1 pound and a half yearly rent of 16 pounds was to be paid Further references to Charles are found in the Shire of Wimmera Rate Books, Horsham district.  Against the name Charles Sherwood a rate assessment was made on 2 March 1875.  The land at Natimuk was valued at 32 pounds.  Rates of one pound and 12 shillings were paid on 2 July of that year. In 1876 a more detailed rate assessment was made.  Against Charles’ name two properties appear.  Again the property at Natimuk is shown.  This property was 320 acres.  According to the rate assessment Charles had by March of that year fenced in land and built a home.  None of the land had been cultivated at that stage.

The second property, 319 acres was in the parish of Lowan. No cultivation or improvements had been made to this land.

     Prior to settling at Natimuk, Charles and his father lived at Penola, South Australia.  It's quite likely that father and son came across to Victoria together in order to select land here.  The land Act of 1869 encouraged members of the same family to settle close to each other.  Support and help from within the family was a necessary ingredient in surviving those early years.  My guess is that Charles and Mary lived with Charles and Charlotte in those early days at Natimuk.  

According to rate books held at the Wimmera Shire Offices, Horsham, Charles senior built his home at Mt. Arapiles between March 1877 and March 1878, some 14 months after settling there. Both men’s first priority would have been to work together to establish themselves on one of the properties.  This would have been the land at Natimuk owned by Charles junior.  Once established, work would have begun on Charles senior's land.  There seems little doubt that father and son worked together.  According to an affidavit for the issue of probate following Charles senior's death in 1880, Charles states that he fenced in his father's land and built his father's house,  ‘Amount due to me for fencing in the leasehold land 100 pounds. Amount for building house, 40 pounds.’

     Although the Sherwoods farmed in the Mt. Arapiles and Natimuk district for only six years, they seem to have made some lasting impressions.  In May 1982 Cheryl, Andrew and I visited Miss Elsie Lange on her farm "Oakdale" on the Garoke road, Natimuk.  Miss Lange told us that her father had bought the property known as "Sherwoods" in the 1920's.  I was surprised to learn that after more than 100 years the selection once held by Charles was still referred to as Sherwoods.  Miss Lange later showed us over the property.  It was also interesting to learn the previous day that the road, which runs beside what was once Charles’ land, is called "Sherewoods Dam road". (Refer).  According to the staff of the Natimuk Shire Offices, the original road sign showed the spelling of Sherewood without an "e" after the "r".  On a subsequent visit to Natimuk, a Council employee referred to the dam photographed on page    as Sherwood's Dam.  The dam is on the corner of Sherwoods Dam road and the Wimmera Highway.

Following the death of Charles senior in 1880, the lease on his land was transferred to his son Charles.  In 1881 he sold the selection to an N. J. Smith.  On the transfer application Charles states, ‘My reasons for desiring to transfer my lease are having made arrangements to get a larger block.’

Charles went on to select land at Haycroft.  Haycroft located in the Parish of Tarranginnie, is an agricultural district west of Nhill.  One of the earliest references to Charles at Haycroft is found in a certificate of Title dated 1 August 1881.  The title shows Charles as the lessee of Allotment 54.  This property (294 acres) was purchased by him in 1890 for 295 pounds.

     By 1884, Charles was already actively involved in the Nhill Community.  In September the first Nhill and North West Pastoral Society Show was held.  The Show attracted over 2000 people. Charles was a judge in the cattle, swine and poultry sections. He won first prize in the dairy produce class for the best side of bacon cured in the district.  He was awarded a special prize for his entry of 6 pounds of potted butter.  In the dog section his terrier also won a prize.    In November of that same year, the Nhill Athletics Club held its second annual meeting.  According to the local paper the Old Buffers Race created some amusement.  The race was run over 100 yards.  First prize was a bag of flour and second prize was a chest of tea. Charles ran third.  Unfortunately for him no third prize was offered.

     Charles was a little more successful the following year at the Nhill Show.  In the poultry section his Brahmapootra cock and a pair of hens won a prize of 10/-.  His greyhound won first prize out of 10 entries while his terrier was judged best distinctive breed. In the dairy produce section, his entry of the best 6 pounds of butter won first prize out of 10 other entries.  Charles also won prizes for the best bag of linseed, fancy butter and one dozen eggs.

     The Nhill Free Press in acknowledging donations of cash and goods to the Nhill Hospital and Fete, records Charles as having donated two pigs.  A quarter of a century later that same paper had this to say about his voluntary efforts.

Next to our ladies there is no one who deserves the thanks of the hospital supporters more than Mr. Charles Sherwood.  With the dual interest of the Fete and the A & P Society at heart, this energetic committeeman missed no points.  Mr. Sherwood's energy should be an object lesson to our young fellows in what one man can do towards the success of a function.

     The A & P Society (Nhill Agricultural and Pastoral Society) of which Charles was a founding member had under its auspices the Nhill Show, Nhill Ploughing Matches and Reaper and Binder Trials. The Society also organised guest speakers to talk on agricultural and pastoral matters.  The committee met every other Saturday at Rintoule's Hotel, Victoria Street, Nhill.  Charles was rarely absent from these fortnightly meetings.

     The Nhill Show held in 1890, proved to be one of the most successful ever held in the district.  Under the section Agricultural Implements, Charles won first prize for the best rope-making machine for waste material connected with reaper and binder.  He also won first prize of 3 pounds 3 shillings, out of two entries, for the best thatching machine to be worked on the ground and second prize of 10 shillings for the best 4 bushels of peas grown in the district.

     In 1892 Charles acquired further land at Tarranginnie (73 acres) under the Governments Land-lease agreement.   The lease was for a period of 7 years.  The lessee paid one shilling per acre per year over the period of the lease.  Several years later Charles stated that his reasons for wishing to convert his leasehold on this land into freehold were "That I want up and be done with it."  He purchased the land, Allotment 57, for 73 pounds in June 1896.

© R J Sherwood. 2001 

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