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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Coal Creek

Coal Creek.

Coal Creek Flat is a long, narrow strip of settlement lying between the Mount Benger Range and the Molyneux river, and its centre is four miles north from Roxburgh. The chief industries are coal mining, farming, fruit growing, dredging, and hydraulic sluicing. Some of the coal seams at this place are from 100 to 200 feet in thickness. Coal Creek Flat has a public school, post and telegraph office, and a Wesleyan church.

Manuel, Albert John , Fruit Grower and Miner, Coal Creek Flat. Mr. Manuel was born at Blue Spur in the year 1869, and educated at the Roxburgh and Coal Creek schools. He was brought up as a miner, and since the death of his father, Mr. M. E. Manuel, he has been a director of the Fruit Growers' Association. He takes a great interest in the Roxburgh Sports Club, and was at one time prominent as an athlete.

Manuel, Mrs Susan , Settler, Coal Creek Flat. This lady is a native of Perthshire, Scotland, and a daughter of Mr. W. Speedy, who came to Port Nicholson in the year 1841, and at once settled in Wellington. In 1857 Mr. Speedy removed to Ballarat, Victoria. Mrs Manuol was married, in 1867, to Mr. Moses Edwin Manuel, who died on the 3rd of May, 1897, leaving three sons and two daughters. The late Mr. Manuel arrived in the Colony at the time of the Blue Spur “rush,” and settled at Coal Creek Flat in 1871. He was engaged in mining in the district, but soon after his arrival he commenced fruit growing on the property, which is now held by his widow, and consists of thirty acres of freehold land, ten acres of which are laid out in orchard. There is also a leasehold run of 1,700 acres, on which about 1000 sheep are depastured. Mr. Manuel served as a Justice of the Peace for two or three years before his death. He took a considerable interest in the Railway League, and served on the Roxburgh and Coal Creek school committees, and was for some years a member of the local Mining Association. Mr. Manuel was also one of the directors and founders of the local Fruit Growers' Association. He was a member of the Loya, Roxburgh Lodge, No. 5733, of Oddfellows, in which he passed all the chairs.

The Late Mr. M. K. Manuel And Mrs Manuel.

The Late Mr. M. K. Manuel And Mrs Manuel.

Martin, Hercules , Settler, Coal Creek. Mr. Martin was born in Cornwall, England, in 1852, came to Port Chalmers in the ship
Thomson, photo Mr. And Mrs H. Martin And Son.

Thomson, photo
Mr. And Mrs H. Martin And Son.

“Ajmeer,” in 1868, and has since then been engaged in mining. He has served as a member of the Coal Creek school committee for several years. Mr. Martin is attached to the Loyal Roxburgh Lodge of Oddfellows, and has passed all the chairs. He was married, in 1889, to a daughter of Mr. J. Weatherall, of Lawrence, and has one son.
Uren, Samuel , Fruit Grower,” Fairlie,' Coal Creek Flat. Mr. Uren's property consists of twenty-five acres of freehold land, about six acres of which are down in orchard. The proprietor was born in 1846, in the parish of Gwennap, Cornwall, England, where he received his education. He came to Port Chalmers in October, 1863, by the shlip “Phœbe Dunbar,” and has been interested in mining during the greater portion of his time. Prior to settling at Coal Creek Flat he was at the Blue Spur in 1873. Mr. Uren has served as a member of the local school committee, page 707 and has been connected with the Wesleyan Church for over forty years. He has
Mr. S. Uren.

Mr. S. Uren.

held office as circuit steward of the Roxburgh has district for three years, and is a trustee of the Coal Creek and Roxburgh churches. Mr. Uren is the treasurer of the Roxburgh parsonage fund. He was married, in 1872, to the eldest daughter of the late Mr. J. Tamblyn, of Coal Creek, and had one daughter, who died in December, 1896.

Mr. Richard Bennets , sometime of Coal Creek, was born at Treen, in the parish of St. Levan, Cornwall, in the year 1828. He was brought up to a country life and came to Victoria in 1853. He engaged in mining, carting, and agricultural work, and was subsequently employed on the erection of the first Parliamentary Buildings in Melbourne. In January, 1861, he came to Otago, and became largely interested in goldmining. After living a year at Tuapeka, Mr. Bennets removed to Coal Creek Flat, where he owned a freehold property of forty-nine acres. He served on the local school committee for several years. In 1856 Mr. Bennets was married to a daughter of Mr. J. Eddy, of the parish of St. Buryan, Cornwall. This lady died in 1893, leaving three sons and three daughters, and there were fourteen grandchildren. Mr. Bennets died early in 1904.

The Late Mr. And Mrs R. Bennets And Two Youngest Children.

The Late Mr. And Mrs R. Bennets And Two Youngest Children.

Mr. John Tamblyn , Sometime of Coal Creek, was born in Devonshire, England, on the 24th of August, 1826, and came to Victoria in 1855, where he followed godmining for about six years. He arrived in Otago in 1862, and settled in the Teviot District, but eighteen months later he returned to Victoria. On coming back to Otago in November, 1866, he brought his wife and family with him, settled in the Coal
The Late Mr. J. Tamblyn And Mrs Tamblyn.

The Late Mr. J. Tamblyn And Mrs Tamblyn.

Creek district, and engaged in mining on the Molyneux river, Soon after his arrival he planted an orchard, and was one of the first to become a fruit grower in the district. Mr. Tamblyn subsequently acquired a freehold property of 405 acres, of which about ten acres were laid out by him in orchard. He served on the Coal Creek school committee for three years, and was a member of the local Fruit Growers' Association, of which he was one of the promoters. Mr. Tamblyn had long been connected with the Wesleyan Church, which he joined in Victoria. He took a leading part in the establishment of the little church at Coal Creek, and was one of the trustees of the property, and also of the church at Roxburgh. For a few years he had been a local preacher in connection with the Wesleyan body, and often filled the local pulpit. He established a Sabbath school soon after returning from Victoria, and was its superintendent for over thirty-six years. In the early days of settlement Mr. Tamblyn had one of the finest vegetable gardens on the banks of the Molyneux river. He was married on the 9th of August, 1851, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Stonelake, of Christow, Devonshire, England, and had one son and three daughters. Mr. Tamblyn died on the 27th of January, 1904.

Coskery's Coalpit (Coal Creek Colliers' Company, proprietor), Coal Creek. This mine contains sixteen acres of a mining lease page 708 granted for sixty-six years, and there are fifty acres of freehold. The pit has been worked for over a quarter of a century, and the seam now being worked is forty-five feet in thickness, but its full width has not been uncovered, and the exact size is not known. The output from the mine is about 200 tons per month.

Mr. Robert Coskery , formerly Proprietor of Coskery's Conlpit, was born at Kelton Hill, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1843. He was brought up to agriculture on his father's farm, and came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Robert Henderson,” in 1872. At first he settled in the Moeraki district,
Thomson, photo. Mr. And Mrs R. Coskery.

Thomson, photo.
Mr. And Mrs R. Coskery.

and subsequently engaged in contract ploughing and farm work in the Otepopo district for eleven years. He was afterwards employed by the late Mr. R. Gillies, of Awamoko, for nineteen years. Mr. Coskery subsequently bought 290 acres of land at Beaumont, and continued to farm it till 1899, when he disposed of his property, and purchased his coal mine. Mr. Coskery has served on the local school committees at Moeraki and Beaumont. He was married, in 1874, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Reid, of Moeraki, and has two sons and three daughters, and several grandchildren Mr. Coskery went to reside at Pomahaka when he left Coal Creek.

Mcpherson's Coalpit (Mrs Mary McPherson, proprietress), Coal Creek. This mine was opened in 1873. It consists of a mining lease of ten acres, held for a term of twenty-one years, with right of renewal, and from 150 to 160 tons of coal are produced every month. The workings are on an open face, and the seam which is being worked is fully 30 feet in depth. Drays are loaded in the mine, and several of the local dredges are supplied with coal.

Mrs Mcpherson was born at Armadale, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, and came with her parents to Port Chalmers in 1867, by the ship “Caribou.” She was a daughter of Mr. John Crossan, of Roxburgh, and was married in 1874 to Mr. Archibald John McPherson, who died in 1884, leaving two daughters and three sons.

Mrs M. McPherson.

Mrs M. McPherson.

Perseverance Coal Mine (James Craig, proprietor), Coal Creek. This property consists of a mining lease of sixteen acres, and twenty acres held under occupation license. It has been worked since September, 1887. The present proprietor put in a tunnel, but unfortunately the coal took fire, and has since then been a source of trouble and expense. The coal is raised by a wire rope and patent winch, driven by a Pelton wheel, which draws one ton at a time, up an incline with a grade of 1 in 4. Mr. Craig works his mine on the board and pillar principle, and the water is taken out of the mine with a hydraulic pump, which does the work in a very satisfactory manner. The output is 100 tons a week, and the coal, which is a lignite, is considered to be the best in the district.

Mr. James Craig , Proprietor, was born in Dreghorn, Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1842, and was apprenticed as a calico machine printer. He worked for eighteen years for Messrs Hayes and Sons, in Renfrewshire, Scotland, arrived at Port Chalmers in 1874 by the ship “Wild Deer,” went to Waitahuna, and settled eventually in the Coal Creek district. From 1875 to 1887, when he acquired the Perseverance coal mine, Mr. Craig was foreman of roads for the Tuapeka County Council. After settling in the Coal Creek district he took a prominent part in establishing the Coal Creek school, and acted as a member of the committee for some time. As a Freemason he is a member of a Scottish Lodge, but is unattached in New Zealand. Mr. Craig was married in 1863, to Mary, youngest daughter of the late Mr. William Sproul, of Renfrewshire, Scotland, and has seven sons and three daughters, and seventeen grandchildren.

Mr. And Mrs J. Craig.

Mr. And Mrs J. Craig.

Michelle Bros . Sluicing Claim, Coal Creek. This claim consists of ten acres and a water-race, which is brought in from a distance of twelve miles, and has about eight heads of water.

Mr. Thomas Philip Michelle , one of the proprietors, was born in 1876 at Coal Creek Flat. He was brought up to farming and mining, and has been continuously engaged in mining since 1892. Mr. Michelle was married on the 6th of April, 1898, and has one daughter.

Mr. And Mrs T. P. Michelle.

Mr. And Mrs T. P. Michelle.

Mr. Joseph Harvey Michelle was born in 1878 at Coal Creek Flat, where he was educated and brought up to mining and farming.

page 709

Teviot Station is one of the oldest and most noteworthy pastoral properties in Otago. It consists of 25,000 acres of freehold, and 50,000 acres of leasehold land, and carries about 40,000 sheep, chiefly Merinos. The property was originally owned by Messrs Cargill and Anderson, from whom it was bought by Mr. W. T. Scrimgeour, who settled on it in 1891. About twelve years afterwards Teviot station was bought by its present owners, of whom Mr. D. Macfarlane is the resident partner.

Mr. Donald Macfarlane was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1856, and was educated at Perth and Edinburgh. He passed his early years on his father's farm, where he was brought up to agricultural and pastoral work. In 1878 he came to New Zealand, via Melbourne. In order to gain colonial experience, he engaged in station life at Kurow, Clydevale, and on the Levels estate. He was appointed manager of the Kurow station in 1885, and of Hakataramea estate in the following year. Early in the year 1900 the Hakataramea Downs estate was purchased by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, and it and the Hakataramea estate were both managed as one property by Mr. Macfarlane until he left to reside on the Teviot station. Mr. Macfarlane was elected first chief of the Waitaki Gaelic Society, and held the position for many years. He was married, in 1882, to Miss Brydone, and has six sons and one daughter.

Mr. And Mrs D. Macfarlane.

Mr. And Mrs D. Macfarlane.