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

The Ballarat-based firm, J Chatham and Co, serviced the Hotel Industry in Victoria, particularly Victoria’s Wimmera and Western Districts. Established by Jack { John} Chatham in 1956, The business was based at 7 Lydiard St South, Ballarat. As a regional hotel and motel broking specialist, Jack worked closely with other Ballarat businesses, including the Ballarat Brewery. On Jack's death in 1967, the business was taken over by his son, Philip, and renamed J Chatham Pty Ltd. The business continued to grow. Chatham House, the building the business operated from, and subsequently purchased and named, at 7 Lydiard St South, Ballarat still stands today. It was renamed by new owners in 2025 In the 1970's Philip opened a Melbourne branch in Dudley St, Nth Melbourne, The Melbourne branch, J Chatham and Daunt Pty Ltd, operated from 205 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, a few blocks west of the Carlton United Brewery in the 1980s. In the late 1980s Philip's son, Andrew, joined the business, then called J Chatham, Daunt and Foley Pty Ltd. The business at this time operated from a terrace house [?Bouverie Street] Carlton near Grattan St. By 2005, the Daunt and Foley partnership had dissolved. In 2001 Philip predeceased his wife, Elizabeth Chatham (nee Holmes), a Director of the Company. His share of the business was inherited by Andrew. Elizabeth died in 2005. The business was sold in 2006. [Jane Dyer (nee Chatham).16 June 2024]Thirty-one real estate flyers j chatham, daunt, auction, "greenslopes" haddon, "mindai park" cape clear, kingston district, the mill restaurant malmsbury, "emu downs" beaufort, "wattlw grove" mount mercer, "rowan lodge", centennial hotel kensington, "ben nevis estate" elmhurst, "paddlesteamer lodge" wodonga place albury, "woodlands" ararat, lake wallace hotel, edenhope, cremorne hotel newtown geelong, terang hotel, avoca hotel, woori yallock hotel, ballarat tram family restaurant, victoria hotel woodend, patersons siding restaurant and bar, ballarat, the coorrabin motor inn, stawell, clifton hill hotel, clifton hill, albion hotel, kyabram, "stag hotel" learmonth, "osborne" rokewood, shamrock hotel echuca, willaura hotel, willaura, "boggy creek pub" curdie vale, shamrock hotel, dennington, "mt elephant hotel/motel" derrinallum, narmbool, ballarat, brighton inn hotel, khyat's, posters, real estate, hotels., restaurants