The Lawrey family, very early settlers in Diamond Creek, had an important and lasting effect on the development of our district. Descendants of John and Honor Lawrey live in the area today and continue to contribute to the community.

John and Honor were natives of Cornwall, England hailing from the far west of that county near the current major centre of Penzance. John was baptised in Ludgvan in 1830 and Honor nee Cornish in Marazion in 1835. John first came to Australia in June 1851 and visited New Zealand for a brief period. He returned to Cornwall where he married Honor Cornish at St. Hilary in 1854. By 1861 John had returned to Australia, with Honor and their first four children, Hannah, Honor, Christabel and John following in 1864. The whole family was settled in at Diamond Creek the same year.

John purchased land in 1867 – the land sale for February does not give the size of Lot 20a. Those in November total 6 roods and 10 perches – the conversion being 4 roods to an acre and 40 perches to a rood.

Land Selections February 1867          John Lawrey, 20a

Crown Land sale November 1867     Lot 14.— 2r., £4 10s. the lot (improvements valued at £8). John Lawrey.

                                                             Lot 15.— 2r. 10p., £4 the lot (improvements valued at £60). John Lawrey

                                                             Lot 16.— 2r., £2 the lot (improvements valued at £10). John Lawrey

Their daughter Hannah died in 1869 and was among the first burials at Nillumbik Cemetery. A prominent headstone in the pioneers’ section of the cemetery provides details for Hannah and her sister Elizabeth who was born at Diamond Creek. John and Honor went on to have more children, all born in Diamond Creek, a total of fourteen.

John Lawrey started orcharding very early along with others in the wider district, at Heidelberg, Greensborough and Charles Draper at Arthurs Creek. He would have taken advantage, and indeed possibly took some time to select his land along and above Sawpit Creek as the fertile land on the flats were ideal for growing fruit. By 1870 he had started commercial fruitgrowing on a small scale.

Although less than 20 miles from Melbourne they were completely isolated, the only communication being by road, and the roads at times were shockingly bad. However, fruit was produced, and small fruits were grown, such as Raspberries, Strawberries, and Gooseberries, and the local fruitgrowers brought their fruit to Mr. Lawrey’s place, and the latter’s sons, in turn, would cart the load into the Melbourne markets, where it was disposed of to shopkeepers … Later on each small      orchard grew large enough to keep a waggon going, until scores of fruit waggons wended their way twice a week to the   Victoria Markets. As time went on steady progress was made, as the family was growing up, and other orchards were  springing up all around.

There were quite a number of apple varieties grown in Diamond Creek and surrounds over the years and some growers created their own varieties too. Peaches, Pears and Plums were also grown. John cultivated a plum he named “Trenowin” after his birthplace near Ludgvan in Cornwall.

As the orcharding business was doing well and John’s sons were getting older, some of them branched out and moved to Kinglake … and selected land there for raising nursery stock, though, previously, young trees had been raised at Diamond Creek, and for some years went in extensively for the production of Raspberries, Gooseberries and Currants, as well as nursery stock; Mr. John Lawrey, junior, still grows a quantity of each, while Mr. James W. Lawrey’s venture has grown into the now celebrated business known as the “Kinglake Nurseries,” the headquarters and packing sheds of which, in the absence of a railway to Kinglake, have had to be removed to Yarra Glen.

John Curnow Lawrey died on 7th September, 1918 We regret to record the death of Mr. John Lawrey, of Diamond Creek, which occurred on Saturday last, at the ripe age of 88 years. The late Mr. Lawrey was a resident of Diamond Creek for 54 years, and leaves a large family who are well known and highly respected residents of this and, surrounding districts. We extend our sincerest sympathies to the bereaved family.

Honor Lawrey nee Cornish died on 16th July, 1919 We regret to record the death of Mrs Honor Lawrey, widow of the late Mr John Lawrey, which took place at her residence “Cornubia” Diamond Creek, on Wednesday last. The deceased lady was within a month of her 84th birthday.

John and Honor are buried at Nillumbik Cemetery in a plot with a headstone in the row behind that of their daughters Hanna and Elizabeth.

This is only a part of the Lawrey family’s history in Diamond Creek district and Kinglake and we hope it does some justice to their local story. Of course, as with many early families, there is a lot more to tell that cannot be captured in a brief article. We are fortunate to have the history of the family that we do, and the home built for John and Honor off Lambert Street still standing and occupied today.

 

Sources: Our Gallery of Prominent Australian Orchardists, The Fruit World of Australasia 
June 1, 1916; The Diamond Valley Story by Dianne H. Edwards; Public Records Office Victoria.
Photos: Nillumbik Historical Society and Museum Victoria Collection Sustainable Futures, 
Victorian Bushfires Collection