Adec Preview Generated PDF File - The Sydney eScholarship ...

described by his bank manager as very shrewd and trusted in business
(NAB3,Folio 245, 20 August 1883). But during 1883 and 1884 the levels of
the Darling River were too low for paddle-steamers to reach Wilcannia.
Woodfall Swanson and Chambers experienced long delays in obtaining
delivery of merchandise for which they had already paid and in
consequence accumulated large debts.
The firm 'made a preliminary assignment of their estate to ... Beath
Schiess and Company of Melbourne' in early February 1885 (NAB3, Folio
47, 10 February, 1885), giving as reasons the death of Mr. Swanson and
the refusal of Cramsie Bowden & Company, who then had stores at
Balranald, Hay and Melbourne, to continue with guarantees of their current
liabilities. Woodfall Swanson and Chambers owed the Commercial
Banking Company of Sydney more than £18,000/0/0.
The fate of Woodfall Swanson and Chambers is a clear demonstration of
the relationship between Wilcannia firms and Milparinka, and of the impact
which low water in the Darling River had upon the infrastructure of western
New South Wales. The firm had invested significant resources in stOCk,
presumably on account of the gold discoveries at Mount Browne. Their
inability to take delivery destroyed the firm.
Although Woodfall Swanson and Chambers did not buy land at Milparinka,
Portions 11 to 14, and Section 2 Lot 10 were granted to Alfred Aldworth,
the firm's Milparinka manager, on 9 May and 16 October 1884
respectively. These purchases may have been made on behalf of Woodfall
Swanson and Chambers.
To add to the confusion Section 2 Lot 8 was granted to Cramsie Bowden
and Woodfall (the original Wilcannia firm) on March 23, 1885. The
purchase post-dates the making of arrangements by Woodfall Swanson
and Chambers with Beath Schiess and Company. There is no record of a
subsequent transfer of title, but the land became the site of a residence
occupied by Thomas Chambers, the site of an office where commonage
was paid to Mr. Chambers, and the location of a printing press which is
discussed below (Nel Barlow, personal communication, 1988).
Another town block, Section 7 Lot 3, was acquired by Thomas Chambers
in September 1887 from Samuel Penrose, and transferred to Catherine
Penrose, the local midwife, in November 1920. The latter transfer took
place subsequent to Mr. Chamber's death in 1918, and a further transfer
('by transmission') was made in 1921, when the land became controlled by
Kate Fannie Chambers. Finally in June 1929 a transfer into the name of
Evelyn Spencer Smith took place. A house on that block was then
occupied by the Smith family, one of whom was Nel Barlow (Nel Barlow,
personal communication, 1988).
There is no indication that Chambers ever occupied Section 7 Lot 3. Thus
his home, and the commercial premises of Cramsie Bowden and Woodfall,
were most likely always on Section 2 Lot 8, some distance away.