Foxton Connections
Bell-Armstrong Connections
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The Bells in Victoria had close business and family links with John Calvert
Mary Calvert, mother of John Bell (b 1821), and sister of John Calvert (b 1811), was born in Dornock, Dumfries in 1797. John Calvert married Jane Murray in 1849 at Colac, Victoria. They had five children - John (b1850), Leonard (b1852), Lewis (b1855), Denise and Elizabeth (b1856) and Hedley (b1859). John Calvert (b1811) was the uncle of "Big John" Bell (b.1820) and the great-uncle of Lewis Bell (b.1853). John Calvert and John Bell were leasehold partners and neighbours west of Geelong. The following information is supplied by Keith Calvert, Tasmania: John Calvert arrived in Hobart on the Lyndoch around 1830, and managed Captain John Bell's property, Annandale, near Tunbridge in the Tasmanian midlands. Calvert and Bell then took up substantial holdings in partnership around Lake Colac and Corangamite. Properties included Watch Hill and Irrewarra. John Calvert married Hugh Murray's daughter. Murray was very involved in the early development of Hobart Town, hence Murray Street, one of Hobart's main streets bears his name. He also then moved on to the Colac district, where he was one of the main pioneers there. Murray Street Colac is also named after him. John Calvert resided at Irrewarra Station near Colac. The building is one of the oldest remaining in Victoria. It is a good representation of early colonial architecture. John, or his son John, then built the second Irrewarra House, which was quite an imposing bluestone structure. It was destroyed by fire and pulled down. The original John Calvert died in London. Not before building and residing at Morongo. An etching of Morongo, at Ballarat Road, Bell Post Hill, done by a Samuel Calvert can be found at http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/b/4/8/doc/b48760.shtml. There is also one of John Bell's property in that area at http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/b/4/8/doc/b48759.shtml . Samuel Calvert and William Calvert were brothers, and both were engravers and printers. The properties of John Calvert and John Bell are engraved by Samuel Calvert. Their engravings are of sites in Tasmania and Victoria, and are held in the State Library of Victoria and the National Gallery. Their relationship to John Calvert is uncertain, but they were possibly his nephews. Last updated: 9 May 2008 |
