William Masterton (1805-1886)
Australian Pioneer
William Masterton, who trained as a stone mason in Scotland, before emigrating to Australia in approximately 1854, became a gold miner in Anderson's Creek, near Melbourne, extracting quartz from "Scotchman's Reef" or "Masterton's Reef" named after him.
Genealogy
William Masterton was the son of James Masterton and Janet Smith of Dumfries. His father was also a mason and a member of the family of Mastertons from Dumfriesshire, Scotland . A fuller genealogy of the extended family of William Masterton can be found at this link.
Warrandyte
A Goldfields School –.
For the families of the diggers who has stayed on in Warrandyte, the first goldfields school (in the form of a ‘tent’ school) was established in late 1856.
It was instigated by Scots miner, William Masterton, the ‘patriarch’ of Andersons Creek, who was the first really successful quartz miner of the First Hill. Masterton believed that all children
of parents who held miners’ rights should be given free education. The Argus noted that ‘one of the National School Inspectors has lately visited this place, for the purpose of establishing a school;
he obtained the names of 50 children, who will attend the school’. The National Board, in approving the use of a tent school at Andersons Creek diggings in October 1856, also suggested that the miners
should consider constructing:
a permanent weatherboard edifice…This they agreed to do as quartz crushers were being set up to treat the yield from the 7 district reefs; and many differs, who had their families in Melbourne,
planned to bring them to the field as soon as the crushers bought more money into circulation.
But permanent buildings were not yet the norm. The Argus described the primitive conditions under which Masterton and his wife had set up the home in which they were bringing up a family:
Some of the diggers’ tents have enclosed ground, in which vegetables are raising their useful heads, amid gayer flowery ornaments.
He [Masterton] is quite the Patriarch of Andersons Creek, and is deservedly and universally respected. We entered his comfortable canvas dwelling upon the crest of the hill. The various apartments
presented that cosy and orderly appearance, which indicated the busy hand of a woman. A convenient yard was fenced in with tents.
The good wife of this happy home was a thrifty old lady of Lanark, whose deep concern seemed to be the moral welfare of her large family, upon a diggings wholly destitute of educational and religious advantage.
A school was eventually built. William Masterton was appointed a member of the local committee of the Anderson’s Creek Common School No 12 on 3 May 1864. As well as being a miner he was a stone mason and it was probably due to his influence that the school was built of local stone instead of the proposed cheaper timber building. William Masterton and James Sloan another miner and stone mason, built the stone building that still forms part of the school today. The school was opened in 1875.
Warrandyte’s Precious Commodity – Golden Days Amongst the Golden Wattle
Victorian Historical Journal,
Volume 72 Issue 1-2 (Sept 2001)
Murray Houghton
Bendigo Advertiser
The mining intelligence, is of the most cheering character, all the claims on the line of the fourth hill are continuing to yield well, and the alluvial washing's adjacent, to the quartz veins are on the average for the past week ; giving three ounces to the tub. Gerraghty's reef is also paying well ; and I have seen some magnificent samples Fix this textof quartz taken from it. Halfpenny's claim on the same line, lately yielded 22 ounces to the ton, and was crushed in Melbourne. Masterton's reef is turning out better for the last fortnight, and several of the claims will yield from 20 to 30 ounces to the ton. Very considerable energy is now being displayed by the miners on this reef in consequence of the bright prospect before them. A new reef has been lately opened, the Crown claims of which are paying all the way down. There are about twenty claims taken up, and all working. Sluice washing could be carried on here with advantage. Most of the hills surface will pay with sluices, such as are now used at the Ovens.— Argus.
Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria
18th July 1856, p2
The Star, Ballarat
Two severe accidents occurred last week, one to a miner named M'Alum, on Masterton's Reef, who was working in his shaft when a blast went off unexpectedlv as he was standing over it, and severely injured him, though not fatally so. The other occurred on the Fourth Hill to a man named Sugars, who was at work in the reef, when about twenty tons of a bank slipped in, and nearly buried him, but he is now in a fair way of recovery.
The mining intelligence is of the most cheering character. I yesterday visited the reefs, and found that the miners were in good spirits and working diligently; each of the reefs con- tinues to yield as well this week as formerly. I believe that the average yield will be twenty ounces to the ton, and from several claims there will be from forty to fifty ounces. Dransfield, Downing & Co. have selected the site for their machine on the bank of the river near Masterton's Reef. Men are engaged to clear and fence, put up huts, &c., for the machine, which will be erected forthwith, and in working order in four weeks. The company met the miners, in a body, on Thursday evening, and explained to them the principles of their machinery, which gave general satisfaction. They have taken down with them a splendid lot of quartz specimens which will astonish some of the Melbourne people. They informed me that some of the specimens can be seen at the Newmarket Hotel, Bourke-street. Miners from other districts may now come here with confidence, as regards the richness of the reefs, and will soon be able to have their quartz crushed on the spot. I speak with confidence from my experience, and defy contradiction, and if needs be I will publish my name.
Mr Hodgkinson, Government Surveyor, has been up this week, and put men on to mark out the town allotments, they run along the bank of the river from the quarters of Mr Brackenbury, the warden, up to Geraghty's Hotel. A punt will be put across the river immediately, to connect the Caledonia diggings Fix this textand Kangaroo Ground with this place ; it will be a much shorter road to Melbourne than through Eltham.- Correspondent Argus.
The Star, Ballarat, Victoria
31st July 1856, p4
Bendigo Advertiser
In reply to a statement of our Melbourne correspondent, speaking of these diggings as of a very inferior description, Mr. H. Frencham sends the following to our contemporary the Argus :— "I give those statements the most unqualified contradiction. Affairs have been, and are, of the most encouraging character ; and, so far from my exaggerating the richness of the reefs, I have kept below the mark. Mr. Dransfield purchased when here 120 lbs. of average quartz from Mr. Masterton. He had it crushed in Melbourne, and assayed by Mr. Khull, from which was obtained two ounces of pure gold. The number of miners at present does not exceed one hundred. And so far from the majority of them being ' in a state of indigence,' they are, for the most part, in the most comfortable condition, having the best huts of any miners in Victoria, with their families around them, well clad, and in the possession of every comfort that such a mode of life would admit of and have ' heaps of quartz,' which will pay well for crushing, stowed away in their huts and tents. Several of the Ballaarat and Bendigo miners have been here of late, and so satisfied are they that many have returned to bring their parties here. I may mention that I was shown on Sunday night about twenty pounds of quartz, which was taken out of a claim on the Fourth Hill. The pieces were studded over with large nuggets of the most brilliant gold, some of them about a quarter-ounce. And the same claim yielded three ounccs to the tub, washed from among the broken quartz. The whole lot was kindly shown to me, and the owner declared he would not take £2000 for his claim."
Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria
18th August 1856, p2
A bridge is in course of erection over the Deep Creek, which will be completed in a few days I am informed that we are to have a Post Office established here at once, which we shall all hail with delight.
The yield of gold for the last week is superior to any former one. Masterton is obtaining 2 3/4 ozs. to the cwt. of quartz, and only breaking them up with his hammer: he authorised me to make it public. The Bendigo reef is turning out extremely rich. A new reef has been rushed at the head of Thompson's Gully, and shows well. I have seen some beautitul specimens from it.— Argus.
Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria
10th October 1856, p1
The Argus, Melbourne
The third of the November sales took place yesterday, in Messrs. W. M. Tennent and Co's rooms. The attendance was good, and the prices realised were highly satisfactory. Much competition for several of the lots offered was exhibited. The total amount realised from the land sold was £728. The sales of to-day comprise town lots in Donnybrook, Will-will-rook, Prahran, and Gardiner, and country lots at Werribee, Mambourin, Blackwood, and Gorany. This will complete the lands to be offered at the Melbourne series of November sales.
WARRANDYTE.
At Anderson's Creek Diggings, seventeen miles from Melbourne. Parish of Warrandyte, County of Evelyn. Upset price, £8 per acre.
Lot 12. One rood, William Masterton, £4
10s. the lot.
Lot 13. One rood, Robert Downing, £22 the
lot.
Lot 14. One rood, Duins and Co., £11 the
lot.
Lot 15. One rood, N. Polak, £26 the lot.
Lot 16. One rood, Samuel Ruddock, £19
the lot.
Lot 17. One rood, Ewen Cameron, £3 the
lot.
Lot 18. One rood, Edwin H. May, £35 the
lot.
Lot 19. One rood, William John Hutchins,
£35 the lot.
Lot 20. One rood, Fleming Hewett, £12 10s.
thie lot.
Lot 21. One rood, William John Hutchins,
£31 the lot.
Lot 22 One rood, William John Hutchins,
£34 the lot.
The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria
27th November 1856, p7
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
The other day we visited the old original Victorian diggings at Anderson's Creek. It is now five years and a-half since a prospector gathered up a few scales from his tin dish on the side of that creek. Then it was that the gold fields of New South Wales were in full blaze, and the humble colony of Port Phillip was not only slighted, but its star of hope seemed set for ever. Shops were closed, houses were deserted, the fields were forsaken, and the only manifestation of life was on the wharf, with the crowded vessels bound for Sydney.
In Melbourne despair a subscription was attempted, to send out an exploring party, with a dim fancy that gold might be found here. But there was no faith, and so no money. Individuals, however, with laudable never-sit down-and-die principle, hurried off, pan in hand, to the mountain gullies, and the banks of waters. A traveller roamed as far as Anderson's Creek amidst the wintry rains of 1851, and washed out from the soil a few sparkling grains. Victoria then might have gold, if search were renewed. More adventurers set out. Clunes, Buninyong, Ballaarat, Mount Alexander successively arose. Bathurst was forgotton in the yield of our golden points, and our " star of hope " became one of those fixed polar luminaries that always beam above the horizon. With a knowledge of these facts, it was with no common interest that, as an old colonist, we turned a glance to the romantic junction of the Yarra and Anderson's Creek.
Situated eighteen miles from town, amidst scenery, magnificent for towering heights and extensive range, and beautiful for verdant glades, flowering vales, forest hills, and musically murmuring waterfalls. The locality is one of the most attractive for a residence, without the charms of auriferous glory. We know those of little means who have retired thither to a canvas home beneath the gum-tree shade, where they can purchase necessaries at a trifling advance upon Melbourne price, where the young folks can enjoy healthy freedom, and where rent, wood, and water cost nothing.
To our surprise we found a pretty little tented village alongside the ever charming Yarra Yarra. The stream there was rather unlike the region of the slaughter-house, It was rushing over slate shelves, tumbling amongst dislodged rocks, rolling down a reef barrier, or sweetly gliding between banks of constant verdure, and shaded by foliage whose beauty delighted one sense, as its aromatic exhalation pleased another. For the refreshment of travellers an hotel has just been opened. We found the host intelligent and obliging, and his tenement clean and orderly. The stores have not the dusty appearance of other diggings Some of the digger's tents have enclosed ground, in which vegetables are raising their useful heads, amidst gayer flowery ornaments. But our story is with the quartz, and to the quartz we turn. The great line of the quartz working extends at present almost two miles southward from the banks of the Yarra. There are four hills in that line. Tho first is called Scotchman's Reef, after a worthy son of old Scotia, named Masterton, who has had many months sojourn upon the same. He is quite the patriarch of Anderson's Creek, and is deservedly and universally respected. We entered his comfortable canvass dwelling upon the crest of the hill. The various apartments presented that cozy and orderly appearance, which indicated the busy hand of woman. A convenient yard was fenced in with the tents. The goodwife of this happy home was a thrifty old lady of Lanark, whoso deep concern seemed to be the moral welfare of her large family, upon a diggings wholly destitute of educational and religious advantages. Part of her anxiety will be removed this week by the establishment of a school in the neighbourhood The honest reefer informed us that when he first dropped upon the quartz there, only three men resided upon Anderson's Creek. Though success had attended his labours, he was waiting like others, the erection of the crushing machines to try the virtues of his noble heap of calcined stones.
The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria
28th November 1856, p6
Evelyn Observer
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Another old and greatly respected resident of ours has passed away, at the ripe age of 84. Mr. William Masterton was one of our oldest identities. Some 25 years ago he opened up the First Hill, and was very successful, obtaining as much as 80 oz. to the ton of quartz. Since then, with Mrs. Masterton and family, he has resided here. Mr. Masterton was a middle aged man when, in the early times, he emigrated here; he was a man of wonderful vitality; it is not so very long ago that to walk to to Melbourne and back (36 miles) in a day was a common occurrence. Recently, however, his memory failed him, and it was thought best to take him to Melbourne to reside, where he died. He leaves a widow, middle aged children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and has been gathered to his fathers full of years.
Evelyn Observer, and South and East Bourke Record, Victoria
30th July 1886
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Tuesday.
The remains of the late Mr. John Masterton were buried in the Anderson's Creek cemetery on Monday afternoon last. There was a very large attendance of relatives and friends. The Presbyterian service for the dead being conducted by the Rev. Mr. Hall.
Mr. John Masterton (better known in the district as " Johnny" Masterton) was 42 years old, coming, I am informed, with his father and other members of the family to Anderson's Creek in 1856, he being then 6 years old. The 36 years past, with a few exceptions, were spent on the Creek, making him one of our old identities. It is very sad. In the prime of life, just intending to enter into matrimony, the spoiler came. Recovering from a severe attack of influenza, in a fit of coughing he broke a blood-vessel. Although he rallied for a few days it was but a flicker, and he died. As an all round cricketer he was for years one of the best in the county, In finishing this very imperfect tribute I can safely say he was a good son, good friend, and an honest man. Requiescat in pace!
Evelyn Observer, and South and East Bourke Record, Victoria
17th October, 1890, p3.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
Our oldest inhabitant, Mrs. M. Masterton, died at Mr. Newman's (her son-in-law) place last Sunday, and was buried on Tuesday last, her 95th birthday. This highly-respected old lady retained all her faculties up to the time of her, death. "Grannie" was a very familiar figure up to within a short time of her death, and carried her great age wonderfully. The funeral was a. very large one. Her husband, who predeceased her some years, opened up the 1st Hill rich line of reef here some 35 years ago.
Evelyn Observer, and South and East Bourke Record, Victoria
14th February, 1902