Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Folder, Mr Grimshaw, Miner, Kinglake and Caledonian Diggings
... . (This is believed to be Mr J.L. (Jack) Grimshaw who reportedly discovered.... (This is believed to be Mr J.L. (Jack) Grimshaw who reportedly discovered ...
We have three folders catalogued for the Grimshaw name and these will in due course be consolidated/corrected:
1. EDHS_01361 – A.H. Grimshaw of Research, Vic., 1927
2. EDHS_01362 – John Grimshaw of Greensborough, 1862 (Correct name is Josiah Grimshaw)
3. EDHS_01375 – Mr Grimshaw, miner of Kinglake and Caledonian Diggings. (This is believed to be Mr J.L. (Jack) Grimshaw who reportedly discovered the first gold in Kinglake.
These folders are made up of copies of pages of research undertaken by Mr Keith Chappel in the 1970s, which is now catalogued as a separate item.
EDHS_04448 - Eltham District History, Eltham Road Board, 1856-1871; Research by Keith Chappel
https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5e4a290521ea671e9ccf9661
There is further information from this research concerning a William Grimshaw.
Also included as part of EDHS_01375 is a photocopy of page44 from the book "Caledonia Diggings (St Andrews)", Gold Discovery in Victoria, James Flett, 1970, which references No. 2 Creek at the Caledonian Diggings as also been known as Grimshaws.
We have a photo of J.L.(Jack) Grimshaw who discovered gold at Kinglake, which is part of the Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection (SEPP)
SEPP_0056 - Mr. J.L. Grimshaw; the man who found the first gold at Kinglake
https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5a6c158721ea6906ac29bd3c
We also have another record of interest involving Aaron Grimshaw, Farmer of Greensborough who was an indentured Trustee of the Wesleyan Chapel in Little Eltham in 1856:
EDHS_04610-3-1 - Document, Conveyance of Lot 20 Henry Street, Little Eltham North to Trustees of Wesleyan Chapel, 1856
https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/60f6d644ac5d4de270b83615
The record of Joshia Grimshaw of Greensborough is grim. He was arrested and charged with the murder of John Mitchell at Greensborough, September 24, 1962. Grimshaw was ultimately convicted of manslaughter and sentenced for three years in prison. Newspaper reports of the day show his name as Josiah. Whether he was also known as John is not clear, and whether he is the same as J.L. (Jack) Grimshaw who discovered gold at Kinglake, again is unclear without undertaking further research into the matter.
This murder trial was extensively reported in the newspapers and you can find those reports on the National Library of Australia’s Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/
Some of the reports of interest:
TRIAL OF GRIMSHAW FOR MURDER (1862, October 23). The Kyneton Observer (Vic. : 1856 - 1900), p. 3. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article240899299
THE GREENSBOROUGH MURDER. (1862, September 30). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 6. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5722929
MELBOURNE CRIMINAL SESSIONS. (1862, October 18). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154967162
CRIMINAL SESSIONS. I (1862, October 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 6. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6480408
Folder of information on Mr Grimshaw, Miner, Kinglake and Caledonian Diggingsgrimshaw