The Galt House
No 7 Lorne Avenue is in the grounds of the University of South Australia Magill campus. It was the former home of Esther and Peter Galt. Esther (Ettie) and Peter Galt were married in November 9th 1871 at Murray Park1. Esther’s maiden name was Murray. She was the only surviving child, of the eight born to Alexander Borthwick Murray and his first wife Charlotte.
Peter Galt was a native of Alloa in Scotland. As a young man he was employed by the eminent contracting firm of Waring Brothers. He was sent to Portugal, by the firm, to supervise an important railway building contract in that country. Whilst working in Portugal he suffered a serious problem with sunstroke.
Arriving in South Australia he seemed to have fully recovered from the effects of sunstroke and accepted a position as resident engineer on the Roseworthy to Burra railway line. He held this position until the completion of the project. The Government were so impressed by his work on the Burra railway; they offered him the resident engineer’s job on another major project. This new project was the Hope Valley Waterworks and aqueduct channel construction.2 After the completion of the Hope Valley project, Peter Galt decided to buy a flour mill at Allendale near Kapunda. He had again suffered from sunstroke on the Burra rail project and the Hope Valley project. Perhaps his health had led him to seek this new career path3.
On the 30th of June 1879 a second baby girl was born to Esther and Peter at Allendale4. This was the third child born at Allendale. The first child born at Allendale, a girl named Ettie, after her mother, had died in 1877 of inflammation of the brain5. Their oldest child was born in Magill and their youngest was born at Belair. By 1879 Peter was not only operating the flour mill, he was also running his own farm. Both the farm and the mill were struggling to provide a liveable income. By 1880 Peter was declared insolvent6. In the insolvency court it was agreed that the insolvency should be annulled, with the insolvent agreeing to pay 6 shillings in the pound to the major creditor7.
About this time a contract was being let to build the Adelaide to Nairne railway line. The contract was won by Messrs Walker and Swan. Peter Galt applied and was successful in attaining the position of resident engineer. The stress of the position, also the difficulty of building the railway through the Adelaide hills, took its toll on his health. His employer noticed this change and requested he take leave to recover.
On Wednesday March 28th 1883 Peter Galt died at just 48 years of age8. At the opening of the hills railway at Aldgate he seemed to be in great spirits, and many were shocked at his sudden decline.
He died leaving a widow and four children.
His wife Esther lived until November 1930 and died at Lorne Avenue aged eighty three9.
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
- The South Australian Advertiser Saturday 11 November 1871 p 2
- South Australian Register Saturday 31 March 1883 p 2
- South Australian Register Saturday 31 March 1883 p 2
- South Australian Register Saturday 12 July 1879 p 5
- Adelaide Observer Saturday 8 September 1877 p 2
- The Express and Telegraph Tuesday 23 March 1880 p 2
- The Express and Telegraph Tuesday 13 April 1880 p 2
- South Australian Register Thursday 29 March 1883 p 2
- The Advertiser Thursday 20 November 1930 p 8