Edwin Desailly (1831 - 1899)

Born 15 Aug 1831 in Clarence Plains, VDL (Tasmania), Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Christina Davinia Jessie (Walker) Desailly — married 23 Aug 1856 in Kensington, Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 31 Jan 1899 at age 67 in Rokeby, Hillside, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Edwin was the 5th child of Dr Francis Wisdom Desailly and Anne Piggott, he was born in Tasmania on 15th August 1831 and was baptised on the 20th August at Clarence Plains. Edwin travelled to the mainland about 1840 as a child. At the age of 25 he married Christina Davinia Jessie WALKER (daughter of Charles and Kath Walker). This marriage took place in Victoria on 23rd August 1856. In the 1860's he had the "Emu Vale" station at Lindenow, and Deighton East, he then acquired "Rokeby" at Hillside and the mountain run Tabberabbera. at one time he was a partner in take company Desailly, Macarthur & Co., Stock and Station Agents, General Auctioneers & Carriers. In the earlier days of Gippsland, when Port Albert was the Port of call for the whole district he had many thrilling experiences. The country was wild, the blacks with whom he had many encounters were wild and his life was one of change and fortune. He was recognised as the best whip in the district. He had no fear when handling three or four-in-hand teams, along extremely steep tracks, through swollen rivers and creeks or up and down steep hills. Edwin and Christina had 7 children. Edwin passed away from heart disease on 31st January 1899 at his residence "Rokeby". He was survived by his wife and four children Lewis, Ormond, Anne and George. Edwin is laid to rest in the Bairnsdale cemetery.^[1]

BIRTH. 15 Aug 1831, Clarence Plains, VDL (Tasmania), Australia

BIRTH. ^[2]

Name: Desailly, Edwin

Record Type: Births

Gender: Male

Father: Desailly, Francis

Father's Occupation: Surgeon

Mother: Desailly, Ann

Date of birth: 15 Aug 1831

Registered: Clarence

Registration year: 1831

Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:1081837

Resource RGD32/1/1/ no 4185

MARRIAGE. 23 Aug 1856, Kensington, Victoria, Australia

MARRIAGE. 23 Aug 1856, Christina Davinia Jessie Walker, daughter of Charles Walker & Catherine (Smith) Walker

MARRIAGE.^[3]

Family name DESAILLY

Given names Edwin

Event Marriage

Spouse's family name WALKER

Spouse's given name Christina Davinicy Jessie

MARRIAGE NOTICE. On the 23rd instant, by the Rev. John Reid, at the residence of Hugh Macmickan, Esq., EDWIN, fourth son of Francis Desailly, Esq., M.D., Kangaroo Point, Tasmania to CHRISTINA DEVINIA JESSIE, third daughter of the late Charles Walker, Esq. Hobart Town Tasmania. ^[4]

THE CHARGE AGAINST MR. EDWIN DESAILLY. At the Bairnsdale police court on Friday, before Messrs- J. S. Cooper P.M. and M. Goold, J. D. Smith, F. W. Drevermann, J, Buntine and J. Bull, J.P's the charge against Mr Edwin Desailly, of having conducted an auction sale on the 8th September, he at the time not being licensed auctioneer was proceeded with, Mr Comnins appeared for the defendant, and said he pleaded guilty. After evidence had been given of a sale having been held by defendant on the day in question. Mr Commins delivered a very forcible address on defendant's behalf, in which he requested their worships to treat the case leniently. Mr Desailly, he said, had previously held a license, and had taken the necessary steps to procure one for this year, and all the conditions of the act had been complied with and a certificate issued. But Mr Desailly had put off sending the necessary fee, had afterwards forgotten to do so, the consequence being that no license was issued to him. When he became cognisant of this fact, he ceased selling. and that, too, before and legal proceedings were instituted, and also had taken the necessary steps to procure a license. The chairman, intimated the magistrates were disposed to take a lenient view, of the case, and find defendant L25 and 30s costs, in default distress.-" Advertiser." ^[1][5]

DEATH. 31 Jan 1899, "Rokeby", Hillside, Victoria, Australia

DEATH. ^[6]

Family name DESAILLY

Given names Edwin

Event Death

Father's name Desailly Francis Wisdom

Mother's maiden name Ann (Pigott)

Place of death Bdale

Age 67

DEATH OF MR. EDWIN DESAILLY. On Tuesday morning last there passed away at his residence, "Rokeby," Hillside, one of the oldest and best known men in the Gippsland district— Mr Edwin Desailly, at one time a partner in the firm of Desailly, Macarthur and Co., stock and station agents and cattle salesmen. The deceased gentleman, who was 67 years of age, was the son of the late Dr Desailly, of Tasmania, where he was born. He came to Gippsland when a youth, some 50 years ago, in company with his brothers, Frank and George, who settled down at Fulham, near Sale. About 35 years ago he took up the Emu Vale ran at Lindenow, which he held up to the time of his death. He had many thrilling experiences in the earlier days of Gippsland, when Port Albert was the port of call for the whole district. The country was wild, the blacks with whom he had many encounters were wild; the stock he dealt in was wild, and his life was one of vicissitudes at that period. He was recognised as by far the best whip in the district, and a relation of some of his exploits with a three or four-in-hand team along the margin of precipices, through swollen torrents, up precipitous hills, would make the blood curdle. He never knew the meaning of the word fear. About twelve months ago he severed his connection with the firm of which he was nominally the head. He was then suffering from the complaint to which he succumbed on Tuesday—heart disease. He had long known that his end would be sudden. On Tuesday morning he talked about going for a drive and took a cup of tea before getting ready. He remarked that the tea had disagreed with him and immediately expired. The deceased leaves a widow, three sons and one daughter. His three brothers predeceased him. ^[1][7]

OBITUARY. Sudden Death.—Mr. Edwin Desailly, a partner in the firm of Messrs. Desailly, McArthur, and Co., Bairnsdale, and one of the last and most respected of the Gippsland pioneer squatters, died suddenly from heart failure at Rokeby, Hillside, on Tuesday. The deceased, who was 67 years of age, has left a widow, three sons, and a daughter. He took up (reports the "Argus"), in conjunction with his brothers, the Fulham Station, near Sale, about half a century ago, and 10 years later came to Emuvale, where he resided for many years. He was born in Tasmania, being a son of the late Dr. F. W. Desailly, then medical superintendent at Port Arthur. ^[8]

OBITUARY. DEATH OF MR E. DESAILLY. The news of the sudden death of Mr Edwin Desailly was received with a good deal of surprise in Bairnsdale on Tuesday morning. It appears (says the "Courier") that the cause of death was heart failure. The deceased gentleman had been under medical treatment recently, and suffered a good deal during the last two days, but none of his friends anticipated a fatal termination. During Monday night he became worse, and Dr. Alsop was sent for in the morning, but before he arrived Mr Desailly had breathed his last, passing away at about 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning. The deceased was one of the last of the pioneer squatters of Gippsland, having been a resident in this province for about half a century. He first took up Fulham station, near Sale, in conjunction with his two brothers, and afterwards removed to Emu Vale, with which place his name was identified for a great many years. Later on he removed to Hillside. His two brothers pre-deceased him, and the three Desaillys were known as pioneer squatters of Gippsland and New South Wales. Mr Edwin Desailly was the son of the late Dr Francis Wisdom Desailly, and was a native of Tasmania. He leaves a widow, three sons, two of whom are married, and one daughter. Mr Desailly was a man of equable temper and very highly esteemed by his personal friends. One of the qualifications for which he will be long remembered was his skill as a coachman, in which he was unsurpassed, and perhaps hardly equalled anywhere. His experiences were not confined to smooth roads and level country, as he would drive a coach and four through rough and timbered country, where such a feat would appear to anyone else to be impossible. He was one of the best experts in the district among live stock, as might be expected from his long experience, and was the senior partner in the firm of Desailly, Macarthur and Co. ^[9]

BURIAL. Bairnsdale Cemetery ^[10]

Register Number 13270

Surname DESAILLY

Given Names Edwin

Date of Birth Unrecorded

Date of Death Unrecorded

Date of Service 02/02/1899

Location ANG10-A-9

PROBATE.

Edwin DESAILLY.

Date of grant: 04 Dec 1901;

Date of death: 31 Jan 1899;

Occupation: Grazier;

Residence: Hillside.

File#81/213: VPRS 28/P2 unit 598, item 81/213

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Book on Edwin Desailly. Compiled by Jan Parker 13th March 2021
2. ↑ TAS BDM Birth RegL #4185/1831: https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD32-1-1-p226j2k
3. ↑ VIC BDM Marriage Reg: #2672/1856
4. ↑ The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859) Fri 29 Aug 1856, Page 2: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2505453
5. ↑ Maffra Spectator (Vic. : 1882 - 1920), Monday 22 October 1888, page 3
6. ↑ VIC BDM Death Reg: #146/1899
7. ↑ Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1918), Thursday 2 February 1899, page 2
8. ↑ Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899) Sat 4 Feb 1899, Page 10: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/39793471
9. ↑ Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 - 1954) Thu 2 Feb 1899, Page 3: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62377392
10. ↑ http://search.cemsearch.com.au:8008/mapguide/Bairnsdale/Public/index.php