Thomas DUNSTONE

   General Notes:

"On May, 16. at Blyth Hospital, Thomas Dunstone, dearly loved father of Messrs. E. B. and A. Dunstone, Mesdames J. Blight and A. Hemmings, and Miss J. Dunstone. Aged 86 years. A colonist of 82 years."

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"Mr. Thomas Dunstone died at Blyth on May 16. He was a colonist of 82 years. Born in Cornwall in 1842, Mr. Dunstone landed in this State with his parents in 1846 by the ship Lady Bruce. His father, having settled the family on the banks of the Torrens, shouldered his swag and, with some other Cornish miners who had been fellow-passengers, walked to Kapunda and at once secured employment at the copper mines, as soon as accommodation could be provided the family was sent for, and the trip to their new home was made in a bullock dray. On account of a strike in the mines, Thomas Dunstone's father decided to view the land at Spring Farm, near Clare, where a friend, Mr. S. Bray, had been settled for a short period. Though having no practical knowledge of land cultivation, so enamored was he of the locality and the fertility of the soil, as it had been experienced by his friend Mr. Bray, that he decided to make the venture, and secured three 50-acre sections, and with his wife and young family of five started farming. Thomas Dunstone, at this time 11 years of age, was of considerable assistance, and with two steers and a wooden plough cultivated 11 acres. On account of the primitive cultivation and a dry year the total return of the first crop was 22 bushels. Flour at that time was £8 a sack. When he was not working on the farm, carting, chiefly from the mines at Kapunda and Burra to Port Wakefield and Adelaide occupied the time of Thomas Dunstone up to 1870. Land being offered for selection at Caltowie, he and a younger brother, James, secured several sections and started farming on their own account. The crop, which was the first reaped in that district, returned 200 bags. After the second season Thomas Dunstone sold out and purchased a farm at Belalie. In 1877 he disposed of that property and opened a general store at Caltowie. A few weeks after he had opened the business his wife died. After a few years of storekeeping he sold the business to the late Wm. Haslam. In 1882 Mr. Dunstone was appointed district clerk at Blyth, which position he held for 37 years. He also acted as agent for Verco Bros, millers,, for a similar period. Mr. Dunstone throughout his life evinced a keen interest in matters that pertained to the advancement of the district or town in which he lived. At Caltowie he was one of the first trustees of the Methodist Church. Blyth began to make rapid strides soon after Mr. Dunstone went to live there. An institute was built, of which Mr. Dunstone was the first president, and he retained that office for 12 years. The first portion of the hospital was erected in 1909— his name stands on the list of foundation members. He also occupied the position of president for three years. He was chairman of the school board, and a member of the show committee. He was directly connected with all the institutions of the town and district, and proved himself a public-spirited citizen. Mr. Dunstone married twice. His first wife died in 1877, leaving a family of five. In 1885 he married Frances, the youngest daughter of Mr. Thomas Prior, of Allendale. She predeceased him by 19 years. At the age of 77 he resigned his position as district clerk and lived in retirement with his daughter, Miss Josephine Dunstone, at Stanley Flat. Of his family four are living — Mr. E. B. Dunstone. of Highgate; Mrs. I. Blight. Gawler; Alfred, Blyth; Josephine, Stanley Flat; and by his second wife, Mrs. Arthur Hemmings, Broken Hill. ⁸

   Marriage Information:

Thomas married Elizabeth BRAY, daughter of Samuel BRAY and Maria GLASSON, on 19 May 1864 in Wesleyan Chapel, Spring Farm near Clare, S.A., Australia ^{1 2}. (Elizabeth BRAY was born in 1842 and died on 18 Oct 1877 in Caltowie, S.A., Australia ^{9 10}.)

   Marriage Notes:

"On the 19th May, at the Wesleyan Chapel, Spring Farm, by the Rev. T. Bath, Thomas, second son of Mr. John Dunstan, of Trevenson, to Elizabeth, second daughter of Mr. Samuel Bray, of Spring Farm."

   Marriage Information:

Thomas also married Frances PRIOR, daughter of Thomas PRIOR and Unknown, on 12 Mar 1885 in Gladstone, S.A., Australia ^{3 4}. (Frances PRIOR was born on 7 Oct 1845 in Liskeard, Cornwall and died on 17 Jan 1910 in Blyth, S. A., Australia.)

   Marriage Notes:

"On the 12th March, at the residence of the bride's brother, Mr. Jonathan Prior, near Gladstone, by the Rev. W. W. Finch, Thomas, second son of the late John Dunstone, near Clare, to Frances, youngest daughter of the late Thomas Prior, of Allendale, near Kapunda."