Reuben and Louisa Brinsmead
Reuben Brinsmead
Reuben Brinsmead was the son of William and Ann Brinsmead, born in 1856 in Moolap, South of Geelong. He had a twin brother, Henry. The two boys along with ther sisters grew up on the farm together.
Marriage to Louisa Barker
In 1880, in Kensington (now Leopold), Reuben Brinsmead married Louisa Barker.
Reuben had the misfortune to have witnessed a nasty accident while thrashing for a neibourgh. A report of a coronor's inquest, held in January 1881 shows that Reuben witnessed a 19 year old, Ernest Palmer, run over by a horse drawn threshing machine, killing him. Palmer had been holding the horses and they bolted unexpextedly causing him to fall under the machine. Reuben picked him up, but he died right there.
Reuben and Louisa had four boys in a row, followed by two girls, the youngest dying in infancy. They were all born in Kensington.
- Horace Harold, born in 1881 in Kensington
- Cecil William, born in 1884 in Kensington,
- Reuben Spencer, born in 1886 in Kensington
- Frederick Stuart, born in 1888, presumably also in Kensington,
- Amy Margaret, born on March 3, 1890, at Allen's Week Farm, and
- Mona or Maura Mary Ruth, born in 1892 and died in 1893.
Mona died at her parents residence, in 1893, only eleven months old. She was intered in the Leopold (Kensington) Cemetry on June 1st, 1893.
Young Horace made the newspaper at an early age. The Geelong paper records that:
A little boy named Horace Brinsmead, aged 3 1/2 years old, whose parents reside at Kensington, was taken to the hospital yesterday for treatment for accidental poisoning. The youngster, it appears, during its parents' temporary absence from the kitchen, climbed on a chair and taking a bottle of horse medicine off a shelf, swallowed some of its contents. An emeitc was administered, and the youngster was speedily relieved of the dangerous drought.
On December 28, 1894, Reuben made the newspaper when, at age 40, he was admitted to the Geelong Hospital "suffering from a crushed finger caused while he was assisting to lift a wheel of a waggon."
Move to Morwell
In about 1895, Reuben, Louisa and family left the Geelong area and moved to the Latrobe Valley. He took up several dairy farm properties in the area. First, they settled down on the Latrobe, but afterwards purchased Mr. Mulcare's property at Driffield, a couple of miles South-West of Morwell. Despite the move, Reuben and family kept in close touch with his brother Henry and family through frequent visits back to Leopold.
In the Summer of 1904, Reuben decided to contest the local election on a platform of opposition to taxes being raised for the Municipal Engineer's new house, funds, he felt, could be better spent on improving the roads. Despite a presentable showing, he came in third.
Still good for a face off
In February, 1933, Reuben Brinsmead Snr., by then 80 years old, was assulted by a 36 year old local named Jack Warnett. Old Mr. Brinsmead rode up to an old slaughter house property Warnett was guarding, intent on recovering a trolley located there but behind a gate. Warnett refused to let him through the gate, but Reuben persisted. Warnett punched him, knocking the old man down and splintering his jaw. Two teeth were lost. Reuben went to the doctor and the police to the scene, where Warnett admitted hitting him, saying "He is a low down scoundrel - lower than any swagman in Australia" and other less than copmplimentary things. The Court convicted Warnett, noting that Brinsmead was over 80 and deaf.
Reuben Snr.'s Death in 1935
Reuben Brinsmead passed away at 83 years old, on August 29, 1935. His wife, four sons and his daughter survived him. His obituary in the Morwell Advertiser and Gazette had this to say about him:
Another old and respected resident of the district, in the person of Mr R. Brinsmead, Snr., crossed the Great Divide, from whence no traveller returns, on Tuesday morning last, at the advanced age of 83....
In his younger days the late Mr Brinsmead took a very keen interest in all matters for the advancement of the district, and on one occasion contested a local municipal election. Although a man of means, he did not believe in living a life of ease, and was happiest when he was hard at work. Some years ago he purchased the old Morwell Show Grounds, and land adjoining, and it was from him that the present Morwell Recreation Ground was purchased on very satisfactory terms.
He was shrewd in matters of business and his judgment and opinion was often sought in that respect. In various ways he helped many people in such a quiet way that many of his kind deeds and acts were never known to the general public.
He enjoyed particularly good health, and scarcely knew what a day’s illness was until a few months ago, when he became a victim to that nire disease – cancer, which was the cause of his death.... The remains of deceased were interred in the Hazelwood Cemetery yesterday. The Rev. G. T. Inglis officiated at the grave, the mortuary arrangements being carried out by Mr J. Bolger.