George Lovell (1832 - 1921)

Born 22 Feb 1832 in Cheddar, Somerset, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza (Dowzer) Lovell — married 7 Jul 1859 in St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 25 Sep 1921 at age 89 in Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Lovell Family Tree information by courtesy of Nat Owles, Lionel Lovell, and Peggy Lovell.

George came to Sydney as an assisted immigrant (passage 2 pounds) arriving on the "Sir George Seymour" on 22 Mar 1852.

George was Mayor from 12th Feb1889 to 13th Feb 1891. Lovell Road in Denistone East, bears his name. He built a stone cottage which was still standing at 87 North Road in 2009.

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 11 April 1882. ^[1] TENDERS are invited for the Erection of a Cottage on the North-road, Ryde. The work may be tendered for as follows: - 1. Masonry and brickwork. 2. Carpentering, joinery, and finishing trades. 3. Or all in one sum. All tenders to be sent in by the 15th instant, directed to Mr. GEORGE LOVELL, North-road, Ryde.

George Lovell was born in the English county of Somerset on 22nd Feb 1832, the son of Thomas Lovell and Harriet (Ann) Bull. He was baptised in the coastal parish of Clevedon on 7th April 1833 (no. 459 on page 58) and his brother Alfred was baptised on 1st March 1835 (No. 518 on page 65) . In the Census of 1841 George was listed as an 8 YO living with his father 35 YO Thomas in Cliff St, Cheddar, but there is no mention of Alfred who may have died or been fostered out after Harriet’s death. In the Census of 1851 he was listed as an 18 YO living at 76 Draycott St in the hamlet of Draycott close to Cheddar, with his 47 YO father, 49 YO stepmother Hannah, 5YO sister Mary Ann, and 7 YO brother Albert and working as a tiler. George was 20 YO when he arrived in Sydney on the “Sir George Seymour” on 22nd March 1852, as an assisted immigrant listed as an Agricultural Labourer from Clifton County Somerset, religion Church of England. At 27 YO George married 25 YO Eliza Dowzer (or Douzer) on 7th July 1859/1164 in St Thomas’ C of E in Willoughby, at which time he was a parishioner of St Anne’s. He gave his trade as plasterer the same as his father, and the witnesses were George and Margaret Coombe. Eliza was born in Cork in 1834, and came to Sydney on the 19th Feb 1855 on the “Samuel Boddington”. Eliza bore George 6 sons, 4 of whom worked for him on his orchards before acquiring their own properties. The first George died 14 months old on 1st March 1863/5762, and Jacob Dowser died at 24 weeks old on 21st Feb1870/5738. George Alfred [the second George] was baptised at St Anne’s on 28th Feb 1864 (the first Lovell baptism to be recorded there). George Lovell was a trustee of the Christ Church, Church of England in Jordan St Gladesville near his Coulter St property so the young family may have lived there at some time. On the 17th Feb 1860 George was among the 127 residents who signed the original petition to have the Ryde locality declared the Municipal District of Ryde. This petition fell short of what many residents desired and delayed the proclamation of the council by ten years. On 8th June 1870 George Lovell was among 201 persons who signed the Third and final petition that divided the council into three wards. George and Eliza purchased land in North Road, [called Victoria Road until about 1878] North Ryde on 1st Jan 1872 ­ not too far from Edward Gallard and Frank Gallard. George by now was a well-established fruit grower and built a two-story house in 1882 from that he called ”Cheddar Hill”. “Cheddar Hill” was a nine-acre orchard on which George had developed an innovative network of pipes, drains, and three wells to collect rainwater or excess irrigation water that was reticulated by pumps. George was hard working, employing deep trenching before planting trees and mulching through summer to retain moisture. He kept the surface soil friable and weeded regularly. The system ensured the tree roots went deep into the ground, unlike surface irrigation systems, where shallow rooted trees can topple in heavy winds. George’s near neighbour Frank Gallard ) had been a member of Ryde Council from 1871 to 1878 and he may have encouraged George to run in 1884. Four years later when he was 56 YO George again became a Ryde councillor, and was subsequently elected as Mayor of Ryde from 12th February 1889 to 13th February 1891. A tribute exists called an “Illuminated Address” (at “Willandra”) from the students of Ryde Superior school for inauguration of Arbor Day 21st July 1895. George was also active in the community as a Justice of the Peace, and a member of the Fruit-growers Union of NSW. George was mostly confined to bed before he died and his grand daughter Ethel Lily Lovell [Joseph’s daughter b 1892, d 1951] was probably recruited to domestic service for him and his son Thomas. On 25th Sep 1921/013120 George disappeared from his upstairs bedroom and was found dead in one of the wells on the property. A coronial inquiry held at Ryde on 18th October 1921 found that he had accidentally drowned, and valued his estate at seven thousand pounds. He bequeathed the “Cheddar Hill” property to Joseph Andrew and his other orchards in North Road, and Coulter St, Gladesville plus all the farming equipment to Thomas. Cash of one hundred pounds was left to Ann Jane Lovell (nee Small, Henry’s widow), fifty pounds to Annie Lovell (Henry’s daughter), and one hundred and fifty pounds to Amy Lovell (nee Gallard, widow of George Alfred). These amounts were fairly substantial at the time. George was buried with his wife and son in the C of E section of the Field of Mars Cemetery (near the white cottage). Henry had been buried there in 1908 and Eliza in 1914 after her death on 4th Aug 1914/013700 at Cheddar Hill. Lovell Rd bears George’s name according to the Ryde Council list of “On the History of Street Names”.

Notices

The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), Saturday 1 October 1921. ^[2] Death of Mr. Geo. Lovell One of Ryde's Pioneers. Mr. George Lovell, one of the pioneers of Ryde District, died at the residence of his son, Mr. Thomas Lovell, North-road, on Sunday morning last, at the advanced age of 89 years. He was one of the best known and most highly respected residents of this district. The deceased gentleman was a native of Somersetshire, England, and came to Australia as a free emigrant when only 19 years of age. It is related that he landed in Sydney with only 2/6 in his pocket. But this condition of financial embarrassment did not give him a faint heart. He possessed those qualities of grit and determination which win through. He became apprenticed to Mr. Greer, a well-known contractor of his day, but the gold fever seized him, and he made a hurried exit from city life, and made for the mining fields. For several years he worked on gold areas in New South Wales and Victoria. About 65 years ago he settled in the Ryde District as a fruit grower. In this he made good, and he amassed considerable wealth. In the public life of the district, he was a prominent personage in the earlier days. He served a lengthy period as an alderman of Ryde Council, and for two consecutive terms occupied the Mayoral chair. He was the principal moved in the decision to separate that portion of Ryde Municipality which is now embraced within Eastwood Council's area. Upwards of 30 years ago, he retired from municipal life in consequence of failing health. The late Mr. Lovell was one of the first trustees in connection with the Field of Mars cemetery, and a church-warden of the historic St. Anne's Church of England, Ryde. He was prominent in the movement to build St. Anne's Hall. In all movements for the welfare of the district, he was an ardent worker. His wife predeceased him by about five years. Ald. Joseph Lovell, a well-known member of Eastwood Council, and Mr. Thomas Lovell, of North-road, are the two surviving sons. There are 20 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The funeral, which took place on Monday last, was a thoroughly representative one. The remains were interred in the Field of Mars cemetery. Previous to the cortege moving, a special service was conducted by Rev. M. Hinchby.

Sources

1. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13509246
2. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103814521

• Birth -
• Baptised 7th April 1833 - Register of Baptisms solemnized in the Parish of Clevedon, Somerset, Page 58 No. 459.
• Baptism FamilySearch Ref. I02320-7, 7 Apr 1833 - Clevedon Somerset "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NT79-VXP : 10 February 2018, George Lovell, ); citing item 51-57 p 58, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,526,508.
• https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search
• Marriage - NSW BDM MC 1164/1859 - Groom = LOVELL, GEORGE; Bride = DOWYER, ELIZA - ST LEONARDS
• Death - LOVELL, GEORGE - NSW BDM DC 13120/1921 - F = THOMAS, M = ANN - RYDE
• Gravestone image - https://www.austcemindex.com/inscription?id=7560592 - near the white cottage in Field of Mars Cemetery.
• Link - https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LJGG-ZB7 (8 documents attached)

Acknowledgements

• Nat Owles (dec) - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Owles-8
• Peggy Thompson (dec) - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Thompson-38713
• Lionel Lovell - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lovell-1733