Charles & Catherine Draper
| First name | Charles & Catherine |
|---|---|
| Last name | Draper |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1853 |
| Submitted by | Bruce G. Draper |
Story
Exiles and Emigrants – Charles and Catherine Draper of “Charnwood”, Arthur\’s Creek.
Charles and Catherine Draper, with their two small children, left Liverpool in the ship ‘Kate’ on 13th December 1852 bound for Melbourne. After a voyage of 122 days, they arrived in Hobson’s Bay on 13th April 1853.
Charles, an experienced wheelwright and blacksmith accustomed to country work, established himself as a wheelwright at Plenty Bridge near Eltham.
Catherine (nŽe Chester) was the daughter of a farmer and Charles a self taught gardener. In about 1856, they became tenant farmers on the Donaldson\’s property at Kangaroo Ground.
In 1862 Charles selected land suitable for fruit growing at ‘Charnwood\’ Arthur\’s Creek. He was the first large-scale fruit grower in the Arthur\’s and Diamond Creek districts. By the 1890\’s there were 200 acres of fruit trees. His example stimulated fruit growing in the surrounding country. He exhibited fruit internationally and was widely known for his collection of begonias.
Charles was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1878. In 1891 he was a member of the inaugural Board of Advice for Management of the Burnley Horticultural Gardens. He was elected to the Whittlesea Shire Council in 1886, serving as president in 1900 and 1903.
The original homestead block is still held within the family.