Tait collection: item 33 of 62 This probate document gives details of the will of Thomas Smith, a farmer in the Wangoom district who was a pioneer settler, having arrived in the area about 1848. He erected the Shamrock Hotel in Dennington in 1868 and it was opened for business in 1869 with David Duffy as the first licensee. Thomas Smith was the licensee in 1870 and members of his family (Cornelius, Robert and Mary Smith) held the licence of the hotel until 1880. A codicil to the will gave Mary Smith, Thomas’ daughter, the hotel land and building. This hotel closed in 2011. Thomas Smith signed the original will with a cross (his mark). Other names mentioned in the probate document are Frederick Wilkinson, Master-in-Equity, Ernest Chambers, Solicitor, John Drayton, Clerk to E. Chambers, William Ardlie, Senior, Solicitor, Thomas Goodall, Clerk to William Ardlie, Richard Sheldrick, Clerk to William Ardlie, Walter Davies, Stationer.This is a significant document as Thomas Smith was a prominent owner of land, especially in the Dennington area. The Shamrock Hotel in Dennington was built by Smith and still owned by him when he died in 1880. The will gives important details of the estate of Thomas Smith and adds to our knowledge of his life and work. Document – Probate, 1880/1907 - the Will and Codicil of Thomas Smith, Farmer of Dennington The will has six ruled paper pages of typewritten material. Each page has printed ruled red lines top, bottom and sides and all are tied with green corded string. There are handwritten corrections and signatures, including those of Ernest Chambers, Solicitor of Warrnambool and John Drayton, Clerk to E. Chambers.Thomas Smith Shamrock Hotel, Dennington Ernest Chambers, Solicitor thomas smith wangoom 1848, shamrock hotel dennington, warrnambool history, thomas smith 1880