This is the latest article in a series written by Nicole Jenkins, on behalf of the Deniliquin Historical Society. Each will cover stories from our town’s history, and those born in our town who have interesting stories of their own. This article is on the Broughton family who built ‘Rose Lodge’.

John and Isabella Broughton purchased a block of land in February 1865 that was on the corner of Macauley and Cressy Sts.

By the time their child Frances was born in August 1866, they had built the home and called it ‘Rose Lodge’. The home still exists today.

This home was also of particular interest to me, as my great great uncle, James Nathan Maw (known as Nat) and his wife Mary lived in this home from 1954.

After Nat’s death in 1979, Mary continued to live there until her death in 1992.

Mary’s twin sister, Annie, was a teacher at St Michael’s School and lived with Mary and Nat in the home.

So, who was John Broughton and what role did he play in the town of Deniliquin?

Well, his family tree is quite impressive and interesting!

John Archer Broughton was born on the December 11, 1818 at Liverpool, NSW.

He was the fifth child of six to William Broughton and Eliza Charlotte Kennedy.

William was an assistant surgeon to John White and came out on the First Fleet.

He was appointed by the Governor as the government storekeeper at Parramatta on February 20, 1789.

In 1800, William was sent to Norfolk Island as locum tenens for Zachariah Clarke, the Deputy Commissary General, who had gone to England.

In 1805, he was discharged from Norfolk Island and became the Deputy Commissary of Stores in back in NSW.

Between 1793 and 1807 he had five children with convict Ann Glossop - alias Elizabeth Heathorn - in a common law relationship, and in November 1809 Lieutenant-Governor William Paterson appointed William as acting commissary.

William married Elizabeth Charlotte Kennedy, commonly known as Eliza, on December 4, 1810.

Elizabeth had arrived in Sydney in 1895 with her father, aunt and two sisters after her mother’s death in England, as one of the first free settler families.

She was previously married to Captain Roger Simpson of Parramatta on January 27, 1802. He died in 1810.

William was made Deputy Assistant Commissary General in June 1813, but on Macquarie's further strong recommendation in 1814 he was promoted acting Assistant Commissary General.

In July 1816, Macquarie sent William to Hobart Town to correct abuses in the commissariat there.

He arrived in Port Dalrymple on the brig ‘Kangaroo’ and became Governor Sorell’s confidential adviser.

In 1817, William was also appointed as a magistrate in Hobart.

By March the following year, William was ordered to resume his duties at Sydney.

He eventually dies, aged 53, on July 22, 1821, less than 12 months after his youngest child Robert was born.

William stood out in the early colony as a loyal, trustworthy public servant, who, as Governor Macquarie reported had performed “faithful, honest, useful and arduous service” for 30 years.

He had briefly been a director of the Bank of NSW, and supporter of the Benevolent Society.

Elizabeth remained at their farm, Lachlan Vale in Appin, and died on December 20, 1843.

John Archer Broughton arrived in Tumut NSW in 1836, settling at Mundongo and later took up land at Gocup he called ‘Riverside’.

He married Isabelle Bingham in Appin on June 1, 1843. He was 24 and Isabelle was 16.

Isabelle was the daughter of Henry Bingham, and was born at Ballyclough Castle, Ireland.

Henry was appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands by Governor Burke in 1837, moved to Tumut in 1839 and was responsible for opening up the area for exploration.

He was also instrumental in moving Tumut above flood level, being warned by the indigenous peoples of the danger.

He wrote many letters to Governor Gipps trying to convince him to also move Gundagai above flood level.

It fell on deaf ears, and Gundagai was swept away in the 1852 floods.

It was while assisting with rescues at Gundagai that he caught pneumonia.

On April 2, 1865 John succeeded Mr McKenna as clerk of petty sessions at Deniliquin.

He came to Deniliquin without his family initially, leaving his wife and eight children behind so he could establish housing for them.

A month after arriving, he wrote a letter to his wife from the Royal Hotel lamenting about the lack of housing.

But as we know, things worked out in the end.

John was a key figure in Deniliquin. In addition to being the clerk of petty sessions was also the district commissioner, a land agent, the council auditor and the stipendiary magistrate.

In June 1871, Isabelle advertised for a general servant, but in the folowing january reports showed the woman in that position, 29 year-old Elizabeth Ramsay, was burnt to death when she was lighting the fire in the kitchen with kerosene.

A news article from the time, ‘Shocking Death From Burning Of Kerosene’, January 13, 1872, detailed the incident:

On Thursday at 1pm, Elizabeth Ramsay, servant to JA Broughton, was lighting the fire, when, to help her, she poured some kerosene onto the wood to assist in rapidly accomplishing her object.

The day was very warm - the thermometer nearly 100 degrees in the shade (38°C).

The kerosene immediately ignited the can, and the flames burst onto the poor girl, who was forthwith on fire, and fearfully burnt.

She was then carried on a stretcher to the hospital, where Dr Wren attended her , but she died in two or three hours from the burns and nervous shock.

The girl’s friends are living in Melbourne. She was about to be married at Deniliquin when she met this frightful death.

She was cognizant of her awful position - met her death bravely - ordered her few things such as Bible and prayer book to be given to certain friends.

She was a very good girl, and apparently a fine specimen of the domestic servant.

John died on Christmas Day in 1878, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law Theodore Watson at ‘Ultima’ in South Yarra. He was 62.

The Pastoral Times reported his death:

With deep regret we have to record the loss of another good, kind and true old resident of this town, who has just been removed by death.

No-one was better known or more respected than JA Broughton Esq. C.P.S who is now numbered with the great majority.

True to his duties, true to his church, true to his friends and kind to all, especially the children of the Episcopalian Sabbath school, in which, for years, he took a special delight.

His loss here will be deeply felt, and it may be some years before the children will find such an untiring friend. He was a churchwarden for many years.

Everywhere the news of Mr Broughton’s death has cast a shade of gloom over the festivities of the season, and only one expression was heard, that of regret at the great loss sustained and sympathy for the bereaved family.

Isabelle continued to live at ‘Rose Lodge’ in Deniliquin until about 1897.

In 1895, she received a gold medal from the flower show for the best kept cottage garden in Deniliquin.

Isabelle died at her son-in-law George Campbell Addison’s home at Woollahra, NSW in 1899.

One of John and Isabelle’s sons - Robert William Broughton, who was born at Gocup in Oct 1848 - was a bachelor who worked on Werai Station as a young man.

He then managed Warbreccan for Shanahan and Jennings before becoming manager of his brother-in-law’s property, Wooloondool Station, near Hay.

Robert bought an interest in Tibora and Keewong before becoming a stock inspector in Hay.

He then purchased ‘Conrinya’, on which he retired.

Robert was known as an accomplished horseman and was a sought after amateur rider.

He was known to have a genial and obliging disposition, and made hosts of friends.

He died in Toorak, at his sister’s home, in 1911. He was 62.

• More details on the Broughton family are explored in Nicole Jenkins’ podcast series, Family History Mysteries. ‘Rose Lodge’ is episode 42.

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