Historical information

One of Eltham's earliest settlers was James Orford. Born 1804 in Bedfordshire, the son of George, a carpenter and Lydia Barret, he and wife Sarah Amelia nee Moull (1807) arrived as Assisted Immigrants aboard the ship, ‘Orestes’, November 28, 1839 accompanied by their children, George (14), Mary Ann (11), and James (2). Originally settling in New South Wales, daughter Sarah Amelia was born at Braidwood in 1843 and son, Thomas Henry at Pambula in 1847.

James was a carpenter who is known to have built the original gates to Eltham Cemetery. He died in 1869.

Around 1890, his son Thomas Henry Orford was living in Pitt Street. Following the death of his wife Helen in 1899, Thomas was appointed by Joseph Panton to look after ‘Panton Park’, a 429-acre bushland property at the fork of Reynolds and Laughing Waters Roads, extending down to the Yarra River. His work entailed ringbarking the manna gums on the property to clear the land for pasture. Thomas lived in a slab hut with his son Ernie, who helped with the work.

When Gordon Lyon purchased Panton Park in 1908, Thomas then worked for Lyon at both Panton Park and at ‘Banyule’, Lyon's stud farm at Heidelberg. In 1915 Lyon gave Thomas six acres of land in Reynolds Road with a two-roomed cottage.

Thomas died in 1944 and is buried in Eltham Cemetery with his wife and his parents.

Another of James Orford's sons was James Matthias Orford. He tried to grow food on land at the end of Laughing Waters Road, but without success. Reputedly the Wurundjeri taught him to swim. He was once imprisoned; when his friend Constable Lawlor invited him to inspect the new bluestone lock-up, Lawlor locked him in and wouldn't release him until he was promised two gallons of beer!

ORFORD
In Memory Of
James 1804 -1869
Sarah Amelia 1807 - 1897
Their son
Thomas Henry 1847 - 1944
His wife
Helen Amelia 1854 - 1899

Physical description

Born Digital