"Kelton"-----Longford

Home of Lillie Adeline Lucas's family.  (This article was sent to me and I have included it for all to read, this article was researched by Katherine Howard - early 1990's.
References to notes - Faye Beswick. Slightly altered by June Dark.

The history of "Kelton" goes back some two hundred years to England.

Nathaniel Lucas [1764-1818] was born the son of Thomas Lucas of Thames Ditton Kingston, Surrey.
He became a joiner and carpenter and his arrival in Australia was determined by a crime he committed in 1784. While living on Red Lion Street, London, Nathaniel Lucas stole linen worth two pounds from a neighbouring inn. On the 7th July 1784 he was tried at the Old Bailey and sentenced to seven years transportation. After spending some time in the prison hulks he was transported to Port Jackson on the "Scarborough" of the First Fleet arriving in Australia 26th January 1788.

At Port Jackson he was chosen in a group of convicts selected for their character to pioneer Norfolk Island. His occupation as carpenter and joiner would also have been an asset in the beginnings of a new colony. It was on Norfolk that he married Olivia Gascoigne [Gascoyne] (they met on the "Supply" on the journey over to Norfolk) Olivia who was also a convict of the selected group who arrived on the "Lady Penhryn" in the First Fleet on 26th January 1788.

In 1791 three years after their arrival on the Island, Nathaniel was given a grant of 15 acres which he farmed prosperously as there are records of him having sold his produce to the government. In 1793 he purchased an additional sixty acres from Charles Heritage. He worked on the Island as a successful carpenter and in June 1795 he succeeded William Peate as master carpenter.

While on Norfolk Island, Nathaniel and Olivia produced eleven children, of which twins were killed on the island by a falling tree. [Refer to Nathaniel's letter he wrote home to London to tell his father].

In 1805 he and his remaining family returned to Sydney where Nathaniel became a private builder. They also produced two more children in Sydney.

In 1805 after the rebellion against Bligh, Nathaniel Lucas was appointed as superintendent of carpenters.

In 1818 he became master carpenter under Francis Greenway. It was while he was working under Greenway that Nathaniel built St. Luke's Church in Liverpool. [He actually only started the building.] However, Lucas and Greenway had a disagreement over workmanship as Nathaniel was of the "Old School" and Greenway had newer ideas. (Greenway was also a very unreasonable man.) [read the article on this site on Greenway].

It is believed that Nathaniel had cancer of the mouth and was using alcohol as an analgesic. Nathaniel and Greenway argued at the laying of the Foundation Stone at St. Luke's Church and days later Nathaniel was found drowned in the George's River. It is thought he committed suicide but Olivia maintained Greenway was responsible. His body was found on the 5th May 1818 by two of his sons who had gone searching for him. It should be noted that Nathaniel had not had a problem with alcohol in the past.

In 1818 his wife, Olivia with seven of their children [Sarah, Mary, George, Charles, Thomas, Nathaniel Jnr. and William] sailed to Port Dalyrymple in Northern Tasmania on the "John Palmer".

Two of the seven children made quite a name for themselves in carpentry and building. The Lucas brothers [William and Nathaniel Jnr.] are believed to have built a goal, a windmill and a chapel at Port Dalyrymple. They also offered to enlarge and refit a chapel in Launceston for a grant of 300 acres each. It is known that William and Nathaniel Jnr. erected the first windmill on Windmill Hill, Launceston for the Towes Brothers in 1826. The windmill no longer exists; however, a pencil sketch by Lieutenant Lyttleton was obtained from the Mayor's Valedictory Address of 1967.

Nathaniel Jnr. and William in partnership with Charles Williams [brother-in-law - married Anne Lucas] built the schooner "Olivia" which was running in the wheat trade between Launceston and Sydney for some years. They also built another schooner "Contest" in 1828. While this was taking place their mother Olivia was granted 100 acres near Trevallyn. Another of the children George had some land allocated to him in 1820 between Longford and Cressy. This was the original property "Kelton".

In 1823 George Lucas married Elizabeth Hodgetts. They built a small weatherboard cottage on the property which now consisted of 260 acres on which he ran 21 cattle, no sheep, 2 horses and had 75 acres sown with crop. George and Elizabeth had eight children on the property, all of which they housed in the tiny cottage along with two servants.

The children were - Elizabeth, George, Thomas, John, Daniel, Charles, Adelaide and Edward George Lucas Jnr. was killed in 1858 while getting out of his cart. He fell and the horses shied, causing the wheels to run over his head killing him instantly. An inquest was held on 27th September 1858, two days after his death.

In 1831 George Lucas applied for an extra grant of land. In was given to him and he began excavating the cellar of his permanent home, which is still standing today. The weatherboard house remained on the property until it collapsed in the early 1930's. All that remains today is a solitary foundation stone.

In 1845 "Kelton" was robbed by the bushranger called Priest. On 2nd July Priest hid himself in the cellar and that night he replenished his food supply from the store room, near the cellar. Priest a few months later accidentally shot himself in the foot and gave himself up to Longford Police. He was sentenced to death but was eventually transported to Norfolk Island for ten years.

The permanent home on "Kelton" was built with hand made nails and locally made bricks. It had a Georgian front with a cedar door. A front bedroom and veranda were added in later years, which spoiled the original design somewhat. The cellar was used as a dairy.  Water was supplied to the homestead by two deep wells and windmills.

George Lucas died of natural causes in 1868 and the property was passed on to Edward [George's youngest brother]. It was then comprised of 303 acres of good agricultural land.

Edward Lucas married Elizabeth Purfet daughter of Sam Purfet at Longford in 1887. It is assumed they had no children as they married late in life and no Lucas record was found beyond them.

In 1900 Elizabeth Lucas [nee Purfet] was killed in Longford. She was thrown out of her trap whilst driving past the present site of the Longford Library, when the harness broke and the horse shied. Edward Lucas was heartbroken by her death and could not face managing "Kelton" alone.

In 1901 he sold the property to Albert and Elspeth Walker for 3624 pounds and retired to Longford. The conveyance document is dated the 7th April 1902 which was the date when all transactions were completed.

In 1903 Edward Lucas died. He was buried with his wife in Longford Anglican Churchyard.