Joseph Reynolds

Joseph Gardiner Reynolds (1814-1912) was an early settler near Nannup, on the Balingup Road, having been granted land there in 1851.

An obituary in the West Australian (see below) has Reynolds arriving on the Parmelia, but Erickson has the George, 11 November 1848. The West obit has Menbenup for the property, while Erickson has Membenup. The obit also states that Reynolds was granted his land in the Lower Blackwood (in 1851) by Stirling himself - but his term as governor had ended at the end of 1838, and he had left in 1839. Two of the other obituaries below state that Reynolds arrived in 1841, and one says on the Parmelia — but the barque Parmelia that brought the first settlers in 1829 had been irreparably damaged by fire in 1838. (See the Wikipedia article.)

Erickson:
REYNOLDS, Joseph Gardiner, b. 15.6.1814, d. 19.12.1912 (Busselton), son of William of Derbyshire, England, arr. 11.11.1848 per George, m. 2.12.1861 (Picton) Mary Ellen MORGAN b. 26.7.1844 d. 10.6.1929 (Wonnerup), eldest dtr. of Capt. John Morgan & wife Maria Laura (nee Feast). Chd. Marriane Lucy b. 1862 d. c .1952, Evelyn Maria b. 1864, Caroline b. 1866, Florence Edith & Emaline Laura b. 1868, Marian b. 1871 d. 1895, Mary Llewellyn b. 1873, Eleanor b.1875, Charles b. 1878, Thomas Henry b. 1881 d. 1960, Percy Llewellyn b. 1883, Gladys Llewellyn b. 1885. All except eldest born at "Membenup" his homestead. Nannup-Wonnerup JP. Magistrate. Property owner. Pastoralist: large leasehold 1851 onwards with C. Bussell. Employed 25 T/L men on
occasions 1864-1878.

Obituaries

The West Australian, Perth, WA, Saturday 7 December 1912, page 12
Family Notices
DEATH OF AN OLD SETTLER.
THE LATE MR. J. G. REYNOLDS.
News was received in Perth on Thursday of the death, at the age of 93 years, of one of the State's oldest and most respected colonists in the person of the late Mr. J. G. Reynolds, J.P., which, took place at his residence, Menbenup, near Wonnerup, the previous afternoon. The deceased, who was born in Berkshire in the year 1819, arrived in the State by the ship Parmelia in the early forties, and had a since been a permanent settler in the South-West up to the time of his death. During his early career in the State the late Mr. Reynolds, was intimately associated with the late Mr. Edward Brockman at Gig-Gin, where they engaged in cattle-raising. Mr. Reynolds soon afterwards proceeded to the South. West, where he was one of the earliest selectors of land in the fertile valleys of the Lower Blackwood, amongst the original holding granted to him by then Governor Stirling being the now well-known properties of Dudanalup and Tuongup.
Depredations by natives amongst his stock, however, and the prevalence of the disease known as rickets, compelled him to "trek" with his stock closer to the coast, where he purchased 3,000 acres of rich land on the Vasse River, near Wonnerup, which was part of the original Stirling estate. This property has. been farmed by the late Mr. Reynolds and his sons continuously up to the present day In the year 1860 pressing business recalled Mr. Reynolds to England, but he returned to the colony during the following year in the steamer Hastings, among his fellow pas sengers being Messrs. Sept. and Oct. Burt, who were then quite lads, accompanying their parents to the colony for the first time. The ship's passengers also included the late Mr. Donald McPherson, of the well-known Glentrommie station. On that occasion the late Mr. Reynolds brought back to the colony English greyhounds and a number of pheasants and partridges and other game, which he sought to introduce with more or less ultimate success. Mr. Reynolds met with considerable success as a stock breeder, being a particularly keen judge of horse flesh. and up to his ninetieth birthday the deceased was able to mount his pony unaided and ride around the country surrounding his old and picturesque homestead. Among others who settled in the South-West about the same time, and with whom the deceased was associated, were the late Colonel Molloy and Messrs. John and Alfred Bussel, Geo. Layman, Joseph Bovell, the well-known Bunbury family, and a number of others whose names are indelibly carved in the history relating to the pioneering of the Vasse district. The deceased leaves behind him a widow and three sons, Mr. Chas. Reynolds, of Taunton Vale, Dardanup, and Messrs. Thos. and Percy Reynolds, who reside on the original family homestead. The deceased's daughters living are Miss Reynolds (British Columbia), Mrs. E. N. M. Locke, Mrs. H. H. Holley (Brunswick), Mrs. Harry Layman (Bridgetown), Mrs. Hugh Brockman (Donnybrook), Mrs. Horace Salom (Applecross), Mrs H. G. Yelverton (Quindalup), and Miss Gladys Reynolds, who resides with her mother at Menbenup.

Southern Times, 5 December 1912, page 6
OBITUARY.
MR. J. G. REYNOLDS.
The grim Reaper has been taking heavy toll in the South-West district these
last few days, and now Mr. Joseph Gardiner Reynolds, of Membenup, near
Ludlow, has passed away at the ripe age of 93 years, death occurring at 2.45 p.m. yesterday.
The late Mr. J. G. Reynolds was born in England in 1819, and came to Western
Australia in 1841, settling at Fern Hill. From there he went to Gingin, and after that came to the Sussex district, going to the Lower Blackwood, and settling at Jalbarragup. From that part he took up "Tangannerup," subsequently removing to Dudinallup. Having sold the latter place to Mr. Bunbury, Mr. Reynolds returned home to England. He subsequently returned to the West, and married Miss Ellen Morgan, settling at "Membenup," where the remainder of his life was spent amidst pleasant surroundings, and in peace and plenty as befitting one who had given the major portion of his life towards helping build up this great and wealthy State. A coincidence is that the deceased died on the 51st anniversary of his marriage. There are eleven children living: Mrs. Locke, Mrs. H, Layman, Mrs. H. S. Brockman, Mrs Salem, Mrs. Holley, Mrs. H. Yelverton, Misses Lucy and Gladys Reynolds. The deceased's nephew, Sir Alfred Reynolds, was one-time Lord Mayor of London. The funeral took place this afternoon, being very largely attended by members of the deceased's family, and their descendants, also representative citizens from all over the district, who had come to pay their last respects to one whom they held in such high esteem.

The South-Western News (Busselton, WA, Fri 8 Apr 1932, Page 8
LOWER BLACKWOOD DISTRICT.
FIRST WHITE SETTLER.
The distinction of being the first white settler at Nannup belongs to my father, the late Mr. Joseph Gardiner Reynolds, said his daughter, Miss Gladys Reynolds, when speaking of old time residents to a News representative recently. Mr. Reynolds was born in Derbyshire, England, and at an early age, went to Jamaica, in the West Indies, to manage an estate for an old family friend, Sir William Fitz Herbert. Returning to England in 1840, and a year later having been recommended to Mr. W. L. Brockman, he came to Western Australia in the ship Parmelia, to manage a cattle properly for that gentleman. Later, he came to the South-West, and was the first white man to select land at the Lower Blackwood. This holding, granted by Governor Stirling, was at Jalbarragup, and is now owned by Mr. McAtee. Owing to the presence of poison. Mr. Reynolds abandoned the selection and took other land at Dudinalup, which proved successful. Cattle-raising and dairying were followed, the resultant butter being salted down in casks and brought to the Vasse. Later, that property was sold to Mr. W. R. Bunbury.
With the object of purchasing "The Island," Mr. Reynolds proceeded to Wonnerup, but finding that the proprietor, Mr. Hurford, had been murdered, bought portion of Stirling estate instead, In 1860, returned to England and, locating the Hurford family, purchased "The Island." On his return, he brought greyhounds, pheasants, partridge and other game in an endeavour to establish them in the new country. In 1891, he married Miss Ellen Morgan, who was born in the old Australind Church, he parents residing in portion at the time. Mrs. Reynolds' sister married Mr. W. B. Mitchell, and became the mother of the present Premier, Sir James Mitchell. A Justice of the Peace, and a foundation member of the Southern District's Agricultural Society, Mr. Reynolds died in 1912, aged 93 years. Mrs. Reynolds, whose kindly nature endeared lier to all who knew her, passed away in 1929 at the age of 85 years.

Bunbury Herald, Tuesday 10 December 1012, page 5
BUSSELTON NOTES.
THE LATE MR. REYNOLDS.
(From Our Correspondent).
As stated in the 'Herald' on Saturday, Mr. Joseph Gardiner Reynolds passed away at his residence Memberup (Wonnerup) at the good old age of 94 years on Wednesday last. The late Mr. Reynolds, who came to the district over 60 years ago, was one of the pioneeers of the Blackwood. Some time after he .qame to tJie district he and the late Mr. James NaaTJii took up some land at Jalbarragnp (now owned by Mr. R. G. MaAtee). The stockyard erected tihere at the time wae a well-known land mark in the lands office and a portion of it stood for many years after the first ownrs left it. Owing to the fact that there was no great- scope for good' feeding land, poison being found about the river, ' h--1.- ? abandoned' this part, and took up a ]??.'.- '-i selection at Dudinnallup. The partnership, however, did not last very long, but after the dissolution Mr. Reynolds re mained at Dudinnallup, where he was fairly successful. After residing at Dudiinnallop for a number of years he' sold out to the late Mr. W. R. Bunbury for a fairly good sum and1 shortly after wards he took a trip home to the Old Country, While there he found the legal heirs to a lot of property formerly owned by the late Mr. John HurfoTd, who was cruelly murdered near Wonnerup, and for which his wife and a scound;rel named Dodd were hanged1.' Mr. Reynolds pur aha9ed' the property from Hurford's heirs, returned1 to W.A., and shortly after built the homestead' at JVfemberrup. He then married Miss Helen Morgan', by whom he had nine daughters and three sons, all of whom, witih the exception of one daugh ter, sui'\nve him. The daughters are. all married exoept the eldest, and the young est, the eldest having gone with her aunt to America andi the youngest remaining at home. Deceased' had a g^eat number of gramd-ohildTe.n and, I tihink, one great graod-ohild. Mr. Reynolds wa« made a justice of the peace some yeans ago, but rarely ever sat on tlie bench. He was a first-oJafla judge of a horse — in fa*jt of any animate. TJve funeral took place on Thursday evening and' wa« largely attend ed. The chief mourners were his three tons (Charles. Thomas^ and Percy), and his aonft-in-law (Mr. Holly, Mr. .H. S. Brookman, Mr. E. N. M. Looke, Mr. H. fJ. Yelvarton, Mr. H. Layman, and Mr. Salom).

References and Links

[[../books/erickson.html|Erickson]].

Obit in West Australian, 7 December 1912, trove.

Thanks to Alan Morris of Nannup/Balingup for directing me to the obituaries from the SW newspapers.

Freotopia

This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 3 July, 2021 and hosted at freotopia.org/people/reynoldsjoseph.html (it was last updated on 15 March, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.