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Lochiel Park House

“Lochiel Park” house was built on part of the property that once belonged to Charles James Fox Campbell. Section 309 and 310 were owned by C.J.F. Campbell. He built his home,”Lochend” on part of this selection. The “Lochend” property was leased to James Scott, and eventually bought by him in 1858. In 1875 the descendants of James Scott, Mrs. Jessie Macdonald nee Scott, 1 sold the property to David Mundy of Paratoo station Terowie, a successful sheep farmer. 2 Mr. Mundy built the two storey house in 1877 for £3,000. 3

David Mundy arrived in South Australia with his father and mother and three siblings. They arrived on the Diadem, on the 16th of November 1840, from London via Plymouth.4 On the 29th of January 1874, David Mundy married Rose Ellen Newberry of Norwood. He bought the Lochend properties in 1875.

David Mundy Portrait

Photo of David Mundy from the State Library of South Australia Collection of “The Old Colonial Banquet Group”. B47769/6G

Lochiel Park House

Photo of Lochiel Park House in 2017

David Mundy and his brother William were the original owners of Mundi Mundi station near Cockburn.5 David and his wife were regular attendees of St.Martins Anglican church in Campbelltown. One day at a social gathering, in the local Oddfellows hall Campbelltown. It was suggested by David Mundy that the church should buy the hall, and turn it into a Sunday school. When the cost of buying the hall proved to be too expensive, they decided to build their own. David Mundy donated the land and offered £100 to start the fund raising. Another parishioner, Howard Henry Ind, an architect by profession, offered his services, free, to design the church hall. When the church hall was completed, fittingly, David Mundy performed the opening ceremony. 6 After selling “Lochiel Park” in 1898 David and his wife moved to “Ellangowan” at St. Peters. They also had a summer property “Durnford House” at Largs Bay, later to be part of the orphanage.

The purchaser of “Lochiel Park” was Jonah Hobbs, who later renamed the house “Hobbs House”. Jonah Hobbs had arrived in South Australia on the Harry Lorrequer, on December 26th 1849, with his parents and siblings.7 He worked on his father’s property and also that of Francis Beasley of Paradise and later James Harris at Marden. Like many people at the time, he was attracted to the gold fields in the 50’s. Without a lot of luck it must be said. Back in Marden he soon became a respected fruit grower in that area. 8 He went on to become a member of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society, a Director of the East End Market Company, and a member of the Payneham District Council. He also was a faithful servant, and financial supporter of the Payneham and Campbelltown Wesleyan Churches.

In 1857 he married Rebekah Jane Harris; the Harris family had arrived in South Australia in 1839, via the vessel Recovery. Jonah and Rebekah were married at the Pirie Street Wesleyan Church. In 1864 two of their children died of scarlet fever within days of each other, another son died in 1867. 9 Two sons and two daughters made up the rest of the family. In 1907 the couple celebrated their golden wedding, less than twelve months later Rebekah died. Six years later Jonah also died.

After the death of his father, Frank Hedley Hobbs became the owner of “Hobbs House”. Frank Hedley Hobbs married Florence Amy Bowman in March 1902. 10 Her father was a cousin to the Bowman’s who built “Martindale Hall”, a well respected pastoral family. In April 1912 they had a daughter Ivy Merle Hobbs.

His brother J Harris Hobbs had purchased the nearby property of” Valencia” from the Ind family, in 1906. Once again tragedy struck the Hobbs family, this time at “Valencia”. One son, Harold John Hobbs died at home, in June 1916. 11 In October of the same year, another son, Kenneth Harris Hobbs, died of wounds in France. 12

In 1947 the State Government bought the house and 52 acre garden, for use as a boy’s home. 13 The idea was to provide a home, and teach the youngsters, gardening and fruit growing. The Government had land at Reynella where they intended to build a boy’s home, but they believed it would be quicker to convert the “Hobbs House” than build new from the ground up.

View of Lochiel Park House

“Lochiel Park House” viewed from the walkway to “Lochend” 2017


The property was renamed “Brookway Park” by the state Government. Under that name it has served as a training school for delinquent boys, a remand home, and an agricultural college.

Today “Lochiel Park House “(Brookway Park) belongs to the State Government of South Australia.
“Lochend” is owned by the City Of Campbelltown.

Researched and compiled by Jim 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. Warburton, E. (1986). From the river to the hills. Campbelltown, South Australia: [publisher not identified], p.74.
  2. Southaustralianhistory.com.au. (2017). The Premier and the Pastoralist, William Morgan and Peter Waite. [online] Available at: http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/thepandp.htm [Accessed 24 Aug. 2017].
  3. 1878 'BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS FOR 1877.', Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904), 5 January, p. 20. , viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article159438575
  4. CUMMINGS, D. (2017). BOUND FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA - DIADEM 1840 by DIANE CUMMINGS. [online] Slsa.sa.gov.au. Available at: http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Diadem.htm [Accessed 24 Aug. 2017].
  5. 1945 'OUT Among The PEOPLE', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 19 September, p. 8. , viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74628200
  6. 1894 'ST. MARTIN'S HALL.', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), 11 July, p. 6. , viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25730349
  7. CUMMINGS, D. (2017).  BOUND FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA - DIADEM 1840 by DIANE CUMMINGS . [online] Slsa.sa.gov.au. Available at: http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Diadem.htm [Accessed 24 Aug. 2017].
  8. 1913 'Mr. Jonah Hobbs.', Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), 22 November, p. 39. , viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163115659
  9. 1864 'Family Notices', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 26 January, p. 2. , viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39123259
  10. 1902 'Family Notices', Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912), 18 April, p. 2. (ONE O'CLOCK EDITION), viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200785531
  11. 1916 'Family Notices', The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922), 30 June, p. 1. (SPECIAL WAR EDITION), viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209566941
  12. 1916 'LATE SGT. K. H. HOBBS.', Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), 21 October, p. 38. , viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164173738
  13. 1946 'Residence Bought As Boys' Home', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 5 October, p. 12. , viewed 24 Aug 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74638177


Images

a) Lochiel Park House 2017 Jim Nelson, Campbelltown Library Digital Diggers.

b) David Mundy “The Old Colonial Banquet Group” B47769/6G State Library of South Australia, Photographer Henry Jones 1872. http://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+47769/6G

c) Lochiel Park House 2017, Jim Nelson, Campbelltown Library Digital Diggers.