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Campbell, Dalmahoy

In 1821 the Campbell family left Scotland to start a new life far away in N.S.W.  The ship they sailed on was called Lusitania. It had been chartered by John Campbell, to carry himself, his wife Annabella Campbell and their thirteen children.  They were a relatively wealthy family.  They had maintained two homes in Scotland. “Lochend” owned by John and “Airds House” owned by Annabella only a few miles away.  John added some improvements to Lochend, including a Gothic inspired addition.1 The house got its name “Lochend” no doubt from its position at the seaward end of Loch Linnhe. They arrived in New South Wales on the 29th of October 1821. In February 1822 John Campbell took up a grant of land, he named Ardmaddy. In 1823 he changed it to Bungarribee.  It was on Eastern Creek near Blacktown.

Bungarribee House

Bungarribee House before it was torn down, Eastern Creek (Doonside) , January 1954 / Barry Wollaston Wollaston, Barry, http://trove.nla.gov.au/version/14163852)

Unfortunately neither John Campbell nor his wife ever lived in the house.  Annabella died in 1826 and John died in 1827 before it was finished being built. The house was sold on completion due to a debt owed by John Campbell to John MacArthur.2 John’s two young sons, Charles James Fox Campbell and Dalmahoy Campbell, were orphaned at 16 years of age.  The family had relations with power and influence, as Elizabeth Macquarie, wife of the Governor; Lachlan Macquarie was formerly Elizabeth Campbell. Indeed Lachlan and Elizabeth met at “Airds House” one of the homes of the two orphans in Scotland.

In 1840 Charles James Fox Campbell and Dalmahoy Campbell built a house called “Dundullimal Homestead” near Dubbo. On land they had purchased in the late 1830’s. Charles James Fox Campbell took part in the first overland stock trip from N.S.W. to South Australia and purchased sections 309 & 310 on the fertile banks of the river Torrens and built a house he named “Lochend”.3

Dundullimal is managed by the National Trust.  It is considered the oldest slab hut in Australia.  The property is about 5 minutes from the centre of Dubbo on Obley Road.4

It is the oldest building in Dubbo open to the public.  In the mid 1840’s Dalmahoy Campbell arrived in Melbourne.  He decided to set up in business as a land and stock agent.  He intended to sell property, town or country, or to sell livestock by public sale or private bargain.  Also all items of colonial produce. After taking out an advertisement in the town and country press, his business became successful. For the man on the land they avidly read their local paper for the Dalmahoy Campbell & Co’s Report. Even for the man on the land in South Australia, this was required reading.  The company report was syndicated in the papers of all the colonies.

On August 10th 1858 The National Bank of Australia was founded, and a board of ten persons was announced.  Many of the shareholders were not happy with the chosen board.  In the ensuing melee three of the board were asked to resign and three new shareholder members including Dalmahoy Campbell were elevated to the board.5 He eventually became chairman of the board.6 This was the respect that Dalmahoy Campbell had earned in the colony of Victoria. He was known as an expert judge of fat cattle and a connoisseur of whisky. He was against the transportation of prisoners to the colonies and was elected to the Anti Transport board.7 He also had a passion for sport.  When it was decided to run a horse race in Melbourne, the Australian Champion Sweepstake, open to all the colonies and New Zealand. Dalmahoy Campbell was selected as a steward.8 With a close friend Frank

Stephen, Dalmahoy initiated the Melbourne Gymnastic Games. This was in 1850. Part of the games was to be a football match.  For some unknown reason, the match was cancelled, and replaced with a simple kicking competition. Not to be outdone Frank and Dalmahoy decided to play the match two weeks later. Frank captained one side and Dalmahoy captained the other.  This game was believed to be the first public game of what was to become “Australian Rules Football”9 It was an eleven a side game and the team captained by Frank Stephen was the successful side.  In 1851 they held the second Gymnastic Games. Dalmahoy who had been narrowly defeated in the 22lb shot put in the first games took the money in the second games, and donated the £5 prize money to a foot race on the second day.10Daly as he was known married Catherine Anna Goodsir.  They had four children, all boys. John was born in 1841. James was born in 1842. Dalmahoy jnr. was born in 1844 and Colin was born in 1845. It is generally acknowledged that Mr H.C.A Harrison was the father of football.  He was a pupil at Mr Gouges School on La Trobe street Melbourne.  The four Campbell boys were also pupils of that school.11 James and Dalmahoy Jnr. played football, and are mentioned in early Melbourne and St. Kilda teams. Dalmahoy Senior died on 3rd August 1867 at his St. Kilda home aged 56. One week later an advertisement in the Argus stated that Catherine Anne Campbell had been admitted as a partner in Dalmahoy Campbell & Co.12

Dulmahoy Campbell

Photo left is Dalmahoy Campbell courtesy of the State Library of Victoria. (Johnson & Co) http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/73563

Researched and compiled by Jin Nelson, a volunteer with the Campbelltown Library “Digital Diggers” group.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the information in this local history article, please contact the Local History officer on 8366 9357 or hthiselton@campbelltown.sa.gov.au

References

  1. Freepages.rootsweb.com. 2021. Airds- Aird. [online] Available at: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~macfie/genealogy/macfie_index.htm [Accessed 17 March 2021].
  2. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Tuesday 16 March 1954 p 9
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_James_Fox_Campbell
  4. National Trust NSW. 2021. Dundullimal Homestead – National Trust. [online] Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/places/dundullimal-homestead/ [Accessed 17 March 2021].
  5. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Monday 1 May 1893 p 5
  6. South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900 ) Monday 31 January 1859  p 2
  7. South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Thursday 3 April 1851 p 2
  8. South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Saturday 9 April 1859 p 1s
  9. The Prahran Telegraph (Vic. : 1889 - 1930) Saturday 24 April 1909 p 5
  10. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thursday 28 August 1851 p 2
  11. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Saturday 22 January 1927 p 8
  12. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Saturday 10 August 1867 p 3