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William Thurlow
William Thurlow
William (1837-1902) was the fourth of eight children born to Robert and Ann (née Woods).
A man of many talents ... According to the history of St Bathans: Mr W. Thurlow was born in 1837 in Milton, Cambridgeshire, England. He came out to Victoria [Australia] in 18571 and was long closely associated with goldmining. In 18612 he crossed the Tasman Sea and made his home in Otago. For many years he was at Cambrian, where he was successful as a prospector, and also in the Vinegar Hill district. Except during a trip to England in 1872-733, Mr Thurlow was actively employed in goldmining till he took an interest in the management of the Vulcan Hotel in 18894. He served as a member of the school committee and held a seat on the local Domain Board and the Board of Management of the St Bathans Cottage Hospital. Mr Thurlow died on the 31st of January, 1902.
One New Zealand author has provided some anecdotal evidence of interest and writes:
'Uncle' was the soubriquet of William Thurlow, a most genial and popular Englishman who had not an atom of guile in his make-up. A rule of the hotel was never to charge members of the clergy when visiting their flocks, irrespective of their religion. It was customary for some of the St Bathans folk to keep 'Uncle' company in his long nights vigil until the coach departed for Middlemarch. In those days the coach arrived from Blacks (Ophir) at about six in the evening, twice a week, and left for Middlemarch about three in the morning. Some of the locals would play cards and 'Uncle' would take a hand as well as acting as waiter, barman and stoker of the fire. He would doze fitfully, waking up when urged to play and usually asking 'What's trumps?' It is said that when he was at church one Sunday he dozed during the sermon and startled the congregation by asking this question when he suddenly awoke.
Cambrians, a mining town in Central Otago, NZ (courtesy The Weekly Press, September 26, 1900 and John Anderson) ►
Glowing tributes to William upon his death were reported locally in this Obituary and Funeral Notice in The Mount Ida Chronicle: "Quite a gloom was cast over our town and district this morning, when it became known that one of the oldest and most highly respected members of our community had during the night suddenly breathed his last - our old friend Mr William Thurlow better known as "Uncle," the popular landlord of the Vulcan Hotel. For some considerable time he had suffered from weakness of the heart, but it was not till within the last few months that any marked change in his health was noticeable. During the week however turns for the worse came, and this morning in the presence of a few of his relatives and friends he quietly passed away, his age being 65. Poor "Uncle" was known probably throughout the greater part of New Zealand as a genial good-natured soul. He arrived in the colony from Victoria with a band of pioneer gold diggers in the early sixties, as a miner, and followed up the 'rushes' at Gabriels, the Dunstan, the Bannockburn and finally settled near Welshman's, now known as Cambrian(s), where he still followed mining pursuits until the taking over in 1889 of the Vulcan Hotel, in partnership with his brother, who survives him. His reminiscences of the early days in Victoria and New Zealand always remained green in his memory, and his many stories of adventure were recounted by him in such a realistic way that he was most agreeable in the company of stranger or friend. His popularity too was increased by his happy frank manner - even the youngest child of the town if it could lisp 'Uncle,' loved him".
He took an active interest in anything for the good of the district, and in offices connected with the Episcopalian Church. He never failed as an upright and conscientious fellow worker. His death has left a blank in our midst, and his name will long live in the memory of this district which universally sympathises with the numerous sorrowing relatives. (January 31, 1902)
Miners' Cottages 4 miles from Welshman's Gully : William's cottage far right. (B+W pencil drawing and colour photo courtesy John Anderson)
Other tributes: The funeral, which was one of the largest ever seen in the district, took place this afternoon, and was attended by friends from far and near - men, women and children coming long distances. A few very intimate friends acted as pall bearers, and the Rev Mr Christian officiated at the grave, the Rev Mr Gellie, Presbyterian minister of this district, also engaging in prayer. (Sunday, 2nd February, 1902).
One other tribute worthy of reading appeared in the Otago Witness on 5 February 1902 which also included William's funeral notice.
William's Last Will and Testament
William's Last Will and Testament
This is the Last Will and Testament of me
William Thurlow of St Bathans in the County of
Maniototo in the Colony of New Zealand Hotelkeeper.
After payment of all my just debts funeral and
testamentary expenses I direct that there shall be paid
out of my estate as a first charge therein free of all due
an annuity of Twenty pounds per annum to my
mother Mary Thurlow of Cambridgeshire England
such annuity to be paid in advance to date from
my decease. If at the time of my death my real and
personal property, after making provision for the payment
of my debts, funeral and testamentary expenses, and
for the annuity hereinbefore referred to shall be of a
value exceeding the sum of Three hundred and fifty
pounds I direct that the sum of Fifty pounds shall be
paid to my sister Jane Cole wife of Thomas Cole of
Dunedin, undertaker. If my real and personal property
after making provision for the payment of my debts
funeral and testamentary expenses and for the annuity
hereinbefore referred to shall be of a value exceeding
the sum of Five hundred pounds I direct that the
sum of One hundred pounds shall be paid to the said
Jane Cole instead of the sum of Fifty pounds hereinbefore
mentioned. If my real and personal property after
making provision for the payment of my debts funeral
and testamentary expenses and for the annuity hereinbefore
referred to shall be of a value exceeding the sum of
Six hundred pounds I direct that the sum of Fifty
pounds shall be paid to my brother James Thurlow
at present residing in England. Subject to the payment
of the annuity hereinbefore more particularly referred
to and subject also to the payment of the several
sums of money to the persons and subject to the
circumstances abovementioned I give devise and
bequeath all my real and personal estate of whatsoever
nature and wheresoever situate of which I may be
possessed at the time of my death to my brother John
Thurlow of St Bathans aforesaid absolutely. But if
my said brother shall predecease me, then I devise
and bequeath all my property as aforesaid to Susan
Thurlow the wife of the said John Thurlow to her sole
and separate use I direct that the executor of this my
Will may at his or her absolute and uncontrollable
discretion postpone the conversion and calling in of
any real and personal estate for such time as the
executor may think proper I appoint John Thurlow
of St Bathans aforesaid executor of this my Will, but
if he be dead at my decease I appoint Susan Thurlow
his wife to be executrix of this my Will in lieu of the
said John Thurlow. I revoke all testamentary writings
heretofore executed by me and declare this to be my
last Will and testament In Witness whereof I
have hereunto set my hand this Ninth day of
February One thousand eight hundred and ninety
seven.
Signed by the above named }
William Thurlow and acknowledged }
by him as and for his last Will and }
Testament in the presence of us both } William Thurlow
being present at the same time who }
at his request in his sight and presence }
and in the presence of each other have }
hereunto subscribed our names as }
witnesses }
[sgd] .... Royes
Bank Agent
St Bathans
[sgd] PG Cornwal
Bank Clerk
St Bathans
______________________
1. We cannot be certain of William's arrival date in Australia, there being two possibilities: A William Thurlow arrived in Melbourne on board the "Columbian" in the latter half of 1857 from the Port of Suez. The ship was en route to Sydney where it arrived on 18th November and records show that passenger Thurlow was destined for Sydney. In the following year a William Thurley, accompanied by an Ann Thurley, possibly a sister, arrived on board the "Admiral Boxer". This William disembarked in Melbourne on 21st May 1858 and Ann left the ship at Geelong a week earlier. Although our William did have a sister Anne (born 1832) it is believed that she married and resided in England.2. It has not yet been established where William was and what he was doing in Australia during the years 1858 to 1861 although we can be fairly sure he was attracted here in the first place with the prospect of searching for gold. If we were to follow through with this scenario it is a reasonable assumption that the William mentioned in the previous footnote was "our" William. If true, it is possible that he was the William reported to be at Muttama (see The Melbourne Argus' article of 4th October 1858, towards the end of the RH column.) William returned briefly to Melbourne from New Zealand, arriving on board the "City of Hobart" on 4th April 1862, and stayed with his younger brother John and his wife, Susan and young family before they sailed across the Tasman to settle permanently in central Otago.3. William sailed to England c29 October 1872, returning to NZ on 16 February 1873 on board the "Charlotte Gladstone."4. He was actually managing the hotel from as early as October 1888.
Hugh Hanger, his son Harland ("Harley") Hanger and his mother Julia (Thurlow) c1937 photo
William became a hotelkeeper on 10 October 1888 when he and his brother, John bought the St Bathans' Vulcan from Mary Hanger, the widow of Samuel Spencer Hanger. They were the parents of David Samuel Hanger who married Julia Thurlow, John's daughter and William's niece. After William died, the hotel passed to Patrick Sexton c19 April 1902.
The first Vulcan hotel, ie a permanent structure being a corrugated-iron building, was opened in 1869. By 1881 the need for a more permanent building was apparent. Consequently, the original building was replaced by one built of sun-dried mud bricks. The second hotel was destroyed by fire in 1914. It was replaced by a new red brick building. A second fire destroyed the hotel on the original site and the licence was then transferred to the vacant Ballarat hotel which was built of mud brick in 1882. The hotel was renamed the Vulcan (#4) and stands 3 sections to the south of the original Vulcan.
William Thurlow, in his Will dated 9 February 1897, bequeathed most of his estate to his younger brother John. Mary, his aged mother, and brother James, both residing in England, and his sister, Jane Cole, living in Dunedin were also beneficiaries of smaller monetary sums.
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