From: Greg Ball
Date: Thursday, 29 May 2003 10:21 AM
Born in England, 20th Reg.[retired], came to OZ with wife and son about 1838. Purchased Ravensworth from Bowman's estate in 1847. Russell was already a considerable landholder, having bought the 50,000 acre run "Eena" on the McIntyre from the bankrupt Ben Singleton in 1842. He added Blue Nobby[35,000] and Wallangra[92,000], both of which joined 'Eena'. Apart from Ravensworth, Russell purchased 'Glenridding' at Singleton, Waverley near Blandford and Bell's old grant of Cheshunt Park on the river opposite 'Archerfield'. In addition, Russell bought several blocks from the Crown--part of which would be the country between Ravensworth and the Fal Brook landholders. He represented Patricks Plains in the Legislative Council. Russell also made trips overseas to buy better merino rams and 4,000 grape vines a year old for planting at Cheshunt. In his absence, a James Davys was his Ravensworth manager. On another trip to England, Russell died[1866]--his son John managing 'Wallangra--died suddenly in 1871 aged 32 and wife Eliza followed the next year. Ravensworth was sold in 1882--the bulk of the land and the homestead going to Duncan Forbes Mackay. In the Russell years, St Clements was completed and the Northern Railway passing through the estate was built. No mention was made of the burial place of any of the three Russells and the final resting place of Dr James Bowman is not known. Much of the detail comes from a work by Cynthia Hunter which was not published as far as I know.
Of passing interest is the acquisition of the Ravensworth Homestead by the Marshall family. Augustine Campbell Marshall of the Light Horse applied for the homestead and 820 acres under the 'Soldier re-settlement scheme'[1920]. He was the son of a Presbyterian parson and married Raby Moore's daughter, Enid. Both are buried at St Clements. It was not until the early 1970s that Elcom seized more than half the Marshall holding, at which time Marshall purchased his remainder outright and received clear title from the Crown--150 years since the first grant to Bowman. I think the balance has since been sold to Elcom.
I have often puzzled over the proximity of Ravensworth to Liddell. Both these names feature in Lewis Carroll's story of Alice in Wonderland in his work 'Through a Looking Glass". Critics still rate this as one of the greatest pieces of literary work of all time, yet I cannot find any connection of James Bowman with either name. Liddell was Alice's family name and Ravensworth Castle was their residence. Could it be just a coincidence ?
Regards,
Greg.