Lewis Bell
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Early Life Family Life Coursing interests

Early Life

Lewis Bell was born in 1853 at Round Bush, Dumfriesshire, and died in 1926 at "Murrnong", Rand, NSW. 

In 1872, he migrated to Australia, presumably encouraged by his uncle, James who was an established landowner in the Geelong area. James Bell was the first editor of the Geelong Times, and the owner of the Geelong Times Office in Moorabool Street, Geelong, built in the 1860's. Soon after his arrival, he visited Tasmania to visit family connections. He kept a diary of his movements in Tasmania.    

Family

He married Mary Ann Armstrong of Leigh, Victoria in 1881. 

  • The Bell and Armstrong families were well-connected before this marriage.
  • Both families had lived in the same area since the 1840's.
  • Mary Ann Armstrong's parents, Alexander Armstrong and Betsy Sutherland/Thompson were married in 1860 at "Woolbrook", home of James Bell.
  • Siblings of Mary Ann Armstrong were born at "Warrambeen", a leasehold of John Bell in the 1860's, and probably an Armstrong property after that.

Soon after, they must have moved to a new sheep-grazing property in the Riverina area - "Alma" Booligal, NSW. Their 15 children were born at Warrambeen, Alma, Mt. Derrimut and Killearnan.          The Bell Family Tree shows more detail.

George 1882 Warrambeen, Vic
Bessie 1883 Alma
Agnes 1885 Alma
Alexander 1886 Alma
Annie 1888 Alma
Lewis 1889 Alma
Jean 1891 Warrambeen
John 1893 Alma
Joan 1884 Alma
Christina 1896 Alma
Janet 1896 Alma
Mary 1898 Mt. Derrimut, Vic
Violet 1900 Killearnan, Vic
James 1902 Alma
Helen 1904 Killearnan

Coursing

Lewis Bell had a long-standing interest in coursing, as did his brothers and uncles in Scotland and Australia. He assisted his Uncle James Bell in Victoria in the 1870's at the races with Lord Raglan. He won the Victorian St. Leger with Birkdale in 1922. He represented the Elmore Coursing Club on the National Coursing Club of Victoria. He was also an honorary judge for the Hay Coursing Club. Presumably, he brought dogs out from Scotland with him.        

Two Newspaper Clippings about Lewis Bell's coursing interests.  

View information about properties Alma and Murrnong, owned by Lewis Bell.

Continue to ......The Bell Family in NSW

Last updated: 24 June 2008