James was the son of John Robert Murphy (1807-1891) and his wife Elizabeth Terry (1812-1882) and this is the family story.
Elizabeth Terry had arrived in Tasmania in October 1819 with her parents John and Martha Terry, who were free settlers, with her ten brothers and sisters and a servant. She married John Robert Murphy on June 18, 1835 in the parish of New Norfolk in Tasmania. (1)
Marriage of John Murphy and Elizabeth Terry in 1835
Tasmanian Archives https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD36-1-2/RGD36-1-2P213
Three years after their marriage John and Elizabeth moved to Victoria, where they amassed a large amount of property; John also established the Wharf Brewery in 1839 with his brother James, at the west end of Flinders Street. The Brewery was sold in 1861 to Albert Terry, Robert Murcutt and Robert Cunningham who owned the Victoria Brewery in Chapel Street, Prahran. (2) Elizabeth died on April 21, 1882 and John died on August 4, 1891. John left an estate of £250,000, of which £240,000 was in real estate. (3) John and Elizabeth are buried in a family grave at the Brighton General Cemetery (more of which later).
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John Murphy's Wharf Brewery
Murphy's Brewery Offices, Melbourne, 1858. Photographer: Barnett Johnstone.
State Library of Victoria image H27175
This is John’s informative obituary from The Argus of November 28, 1891 -
The granting of probate to the will and codicil of the late John Robert Murphy, of Victoria House, St Kilda Road, on Thursday last, recalls the fact of the death of another of the early pioneers of Victoria. The deceased gentleman had attained the ripe age of 84. He was born in Dublin in the year 1807, and brought up to the business of a brewer. He emigrated to Tasmania in the year 1828, taking with him a not inconsiderable amount of capital, which enabled him under the then existing laws of that colony, to select an acre of land for every pound sterling he possessed. He availed himself of this right, and settled on the banks of the Tamar. In 1838 he crossed Bass's Straits, and on his arrival in what is now Victoria, but was then part of the colony of New South Wales he took up a run in the neighbourhood of Warrnambool, and stocked it with sheep. A pastoral life, however, did not long content him, and in 1839 he came up to Melbourne, where he built a brewery, and established a business which ultimately became the leading brewing business of the colony. He was a most liberal employer of labour, and his relations with those who were engaged with him were always of a cordial character, and his business turned out most successful. With great foresight and a strong reliance on the growing prosperity of Victoria he invested most of his savings in the purchase of city and suburban lands, which all proved to be investments of the first class. In 1850 he practically retired from business and went to Europe with the object of educating his family. He returned to the colony in 1870, and has since resided principally at Victoria House where he died on the 4th August last. He left three sons and four daughters surviving him as well as many grandchildren. Mr Murphy was a member of the Church of England, to the funds of which, as well as to those of several of the charities of the colony, he was a very liberal contributor, and almost in every case anonymously. (4)
The granting of probate to the will and codicil of the late John Robert Murphy, of Victoria House, St Kilda Road, on Thursday last, recalls the fact of the death of another of the early pioneers of Victoria. The deceased gentleman had attained the ripe age of 84. He was born in Dublin in the year 1807, and brought up to the business of a brewer. He emigrated to Tasmania in the year 1828, taking with him a not inconsiderable amount of capital, which enabled him under the then existing laws of that colony, to select an acre of land for every pound sterling he possessed. He availed himself of this right, and settled on the banks of the Tamar. In 1838 he crossed Bass's Straits, and on his arrival in what is now Victoria, but was then part of the colony of New South Wales he took up a run in the neighbourhood of Warrnambool, and stocked it with sheep. A pastoral life, however, did not long content him, and in 1839 he came up to Melbourne, where he built a brewery, and established a business which ultimately became the leading brewing business of the colony. He was a most liberal employer of labour, and his relations with those who were engaged with him were always of a cordial character, and his business turned out most successful. With great foresight and a strong reliance on the growing prosperity of Victoria he invested most of his savings in the purchase of city and suburban lands, which all proved to be investments of the first class. In 1850 he practically retired from business and went to Europe with the object of educating his family. He returned to the colony in 1870, and has since resided principally at Victoria House where he died on the 4th August last. He left three sons and four daughters surviving him as well as many grandchildren. Mr Murphy was a member of the Church of England, to the funds of which, as well as to those of several of the charities of the colony, he was a very liberal contributor, and almost in every case anonymously. (4)
As noted before, James, the son of John and Elizabeth, was at one time the owner of the largest Hog Farm in Australia at Monomeith.
In June 1891 the Warragul Guardian published a two-part article under the headline - The Largest Hog Farm in Australia. Parts of the reports are reproduced here.
The largest pig breeding establishment in Australia is situated about a couple of miles from the Monomeith railway station in Gippsland, and is only 48 miles from Melbourne. Pig breeding and fattening on an extensive scale was started here some four years ago by Mr. Murphy, who continued long enough in the business to discover that the handsome profits which he had worked out on paper were not so easily realised in practice. Mr. Murphy was possessed of independent means, however, and although the neighbors alleged that he was more theoretical than practical in his knowledge of pigs, he must be credited with having formulated a system for breeding and fattening them on a large scale that may be taken as a model and guide in many respects by even the most experienced farmers.
He certainly spared no expense in adapting the farm to the purpose required, and if he found the system less profitable than he anticipated, the fault must have been in the management and not in the scheme itself. In any case Mr. Murphy, who from the first went into pig keeping as a hobby more than mere profit, and never gave the business the close personal attention it required, sold out after two years' experience to Messrs. Waters and Son, from the Wodonga district. (5)
In April 1892, The Australasian published another article on the farm and included these references to James Murphy - Mr. Murphy, besides erecting miles of pig-proof fencing, built many substantial pig-sties, with the necessary offices for storing and cooking the food for the pigs. An abundance of water is obtained from a well, and raised by a wind-mill pump to tanks, whence it is distributed to where it is required….All the fences I saw on Old Monomeith were made pig-proof by the addition of a strong wire netting with a 4in. mesh. Of this netting there are 10 miles put up on the property. It was imported by Mr. Murphy for the purpose of making pig-proof fences, and cost, landed in Melbourne, £33 per ton. (6)
The largest pig breeding establishment in Australia is situated about a couple of miles from the Monomeith railway station in Gippsland, and is only 48 miles from Melbourne. Pig breeding and fattening on an extensive scale was started here some four years ago by Mr. Murphy, who continued long enough in the business to discover that the handsome profits which he had worked out on paper were not so easily realised in practice. Mr. Murphy was possessed of independent means, however, and although the neighbors alleged that he was more theoretical than practical in his knowledge of pigs, he must be credited with having formulated a system for breeding and fattening them on a large scale that may be taken as a model and guide in many respects by even the most experienced farmers.
He certainly spared no expense in adapting the farm to the purpose required, and if he found the system less profitable than he anticipated, the fault must have been in the management and not in the scheme itself. In any case Mr. Murphy, who from the first went into pig keeping as a hobby more than mere profit, and never gave the business the close personal attention it required, sold out after two years' experience to Messrs. Waters and Son, from the Wodonga district. (5)
In April 1892, The Australasian published another article on the farm and included these references to James Murphy - Mr. Murphy, besides erecting miles of pig-proof fencing, built many substantial pig-sties, with the necessary offices for storing and cooking the food for the pigs. An abundance of water is obtained from a well, and raised by a wind-mill pump to tanks, whence it is distributed to where it is required….All the fences I saw on Old Monomeith were made pig-proof by the addition of a strong wire netting with a 4in. mesh. Of this netting there are 10 miles put up on the property. It was imported by Mr. Murphy for the purpose of making pig-proof fences, and cost, landed in Melbourne, £33 per ton. (6)
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James Murphy in 1872
Photographer: Thomas Foster Chuck.
From the collection - The explorers and early colonists of Victoria.
State Library of Victoria image H5056/626
James was born in 1843 in Victoria. On May 22, 1867, when he was 24, he married 18 year-old Margaret Fraser at her parent’s house at Tallygaroopna. James' occupation was a Squatter, and his father's occupation was a Brewer; James’ address at the time of his marriage was Kotupna Station, which is east of Echuca. Margaret was the daughter of William and Mary (nee McIntosh) Fraser and William’s occupation on the couple’s wedding certificate was in common with his new son-in-law also a Squatter. (7)
James and Margaret had five children. The first child, James Kotupna Murphy, was born in St Kilda on November 15, 1868, obviously named in honour of the family property. He trained as a solicitor and barrister and died on June 10, 1910 in England. (8)
There were two other sons - John Robert, who sadly committed suicide at his home in Balaclava Road, Caulfield on April 29, 1925 aged 55. The Herald had this short obituary -
News of the death of Mr. John Robert Murphy at Caulfield has been received with deep regret by those who knew him. Mr. Murphy used to race under the name of "J. M. Roberts," and owned such noted performers as Harpist, Orient, Blitz; Keyless, Nantuckett and Cornquist. He had been an invalid for several years. His Inquest found he had been suffering great pain, owing to advance stage of consumption. He left a wife Josephine and at least one one child (9).
The other son was William, who was born August 15, 1871; he tragically also committed suicide on October 7, 1928 at his house in Toward Street, Murrumbeena, where he lived with his wife Janet. He was 57 years of age and his Inquest noted he had been suffering from depression due to ill health and had threatened to take his life on other occasions. (10)
James and Margaret's daughter, Margaret May, was born on March 26, 1873 at Kotupna. She married George Wilson Paxton on March 29, 1899 at Christ Church St Kilda. Table Talk had this interesting report of the wedding -
Yesterday (Wednesday) the nuptials of Miss Margaret Murphy, daughter of Mrs. Murphy, "Marina," Beaconsfield Parade, St. Kilda, with a George Selby Paxton, a well-known Melbourne bachelor and a member of a prominent family of South Yarra, were celebrated without any particular flourish of trumpets at St. Kilda. The bride is a tall, smart unaffected girl, who dresses simply; in fact, I have seldom seen her in any me but the tailor-made coat and skirt, and gem sailor. Mr. Paxton, too, shows a contempt for dandyism in his own person. In his case the fine feathers are not indispensable to the creation of a fine bird. The marriage of such a popular couple would have created some interest had they not taken the precaution to have it made known that they were opposed to ostentation, to the jingling of the wedding bells and the inevitable orange blossom parade. The couple had one child, James, born in 1900. (11)
The following two notices published in The Argus on the same day, shows the sad reality of life for women in the past - the birth of a baby followed quickly by the death of the mother, in this case the birth of James and Margaret's fifth child on March 5, 1874 and Margaret's death on March 11, six days later. (12)
Sad family notices.
The Argus, March 20, 1874 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5866272
As the articles noted, for James Murphy the Monomeith property was a hobby, as he lived with his family at Marina, Beaconsfield Parade, in St Kilda. Marina was listed in the St Kilda Council Rate Books as being of 17 rooms; it was next to the Beaconsfield Hotel, which is on the corner of Cowderoy Street (13). James died in London on May 1, 1896, aged 53. His probate papers list an estate of £83,000 which included real estate valued at £37,500, including the Monomeith land valued at £4,215 and the Marina property at £5,000. (14)
James is buried in the Murphy Family grave at the Brighton General Cemetery, along with his parents John and Elizabeth Murphy. Also in the grave are James' two sisters, Mary Martha, who died in 1925 aged 87 and Elizabeth, who died in 1932, aged 83. As well, James' son William is also buried in the grave. James' other son John, who died in 1925 is buried in a separate grave at the same Cemetery with his wife Josephine. James' daughter, Margaret Paxton, who died on August 6, 1960 aged 87, was cremated at Springvale Crematorium. (15)
Marriage announcement of James Murphy and Jane Balcombe
The Argus, August 27, 1878 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5945802
After the death of his wife Margaret, James married for the second time on August 22, 1878 to 30 year-old Jane Emma Balcombe. At the time he was living in Terridgerie in the Coonamble / Coonabarabran region in New South Wales. Jane was a Balcombe from The Briars, in Mornington, the daughter of Alexander and Emma (nee Reid) Balcombe. Her father, Alexander, was born on the island of St Helena, and his father William was a purveyor to Napoleon’s household, when he was in exile on the Island. Alexander was one of the earliest European land-owners on the Mornington Peninsula. Jane and James had the one son - Alexander Balcombe Murphy who was born in St Kilda on July 12, 1880. Jane Emma Murphy died September 23, 1924, aged 79, at her childhood home, The Briars. She is buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery. Her son Alexander was left a life interest in The Briars, which was then situated on 1,100 acres. (16)
Alexander married Gena Thompson in 1918; he died on October 29, 1935, aged 55 and The Argus had this short obituary -
The death of Mr. Alexander Balcombe Murphy occurred yesterday at his home, The Briars, Mornington. Mr. Murphy, whose family had occupied The Briars for 90 years, was a well-known pastoralist of the district. He was aged 55 years, and was a grandson of John Robert Murphy, formerly of Victoria House, St. Kilda road, and also of Alexander Beatson Balcombe, both of whom were well-known early pioneers of Victoria. Mr. Murphy served with the Lincoln regiment in the Great War, and he was wounded severely at Suvla Bay. A widow and three daughters survive him. The funeral will leave the residence of his sister, Mrs. George Paxton, Orrong road, Toorak, at 2.30 p.m. to-day, for the Melbourne Crematorium, Fawkner. (17) Alexander's ashes are interred in the Murphy family grave at Brighton General Cemetery
Footnotes
(1) Terry family arrival in Tasmania https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON13-1-1/CON13-1-1P250 and Murphy/Terry marriage https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD36-1-2/RGD36-1-2P213
(2) Deutsher, Keith M. The Breweries of Australia: a history (Lothian, 1999), p. 157.
(3) Elizabeth death notice - The Argus, April 24, 1882, see here; John death notice - The Age, August 5, 1891, see here; Contents of will - The Australasian, November 28, 1891, see here.
(4) The Argus, November 28, 1891, see here.
(6) The Australasian, April 2, 1892, see here.
(7) Murphy/Fraser Marriage certificate.
(8) James Kotupna Murphy birth notice - The Argus, November 19, 1868, see here; Nathalia Herald, April 10, 1896, see here; Probate Papers, Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/5E68B5AF-F1F6-11E9-AE98-9377D93F101B?image=1 His executors were his brothers William and Alexander - The Argus, August 19, 1910, see here.
(9) John Murphy - I cannot find any trace of his birth date or place. Obituary - The Herald, April 30, 1925, see here; His Inquest at the Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/8F59A43F-F1B2-11E9-AE98-51825D6727C5?image=1 and Probate papers
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/E1C822C1-F1F2-11E9-AE98-95E8718B3C77?image=1 Report - The Herald, May 6, 1925, see here.(10) William Murphy - Birth date - Brighton Cemetorians database - https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
His Inquest at the Public Records Office of Victoria - https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/1CF3A469-F1B3-11E9-AE98-630D9F22D93C?image=1 and Will and Probate papers https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/DCC4C707-F56B-11E9-AE98-DB7D572610E7?image=1 Report - The Age, October 8, 1928, see here.
(11) Margaret May birth - The Argus, April 2, 1873, see here; marriage report - Table Talk, March 31, 1899, see here; other wedding reports - The Australasian, April 15, 1899, see here and Prahran Telegraph, April 8, 1899, see here; death notice The Age, August 9, 1960, p.16.
(12) Notices - The Argus, March 20, 1874, see here; Another death notice for Margaret, which lists her father - North Eastern Ensign, March 24 1874, see here
(13) Rate book on Ancestry.com; Sands McDougall Directories.
(14) James Murphy - Probate papers at the Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/49AB6496-F1E3-11E9-AE98-49BFDCE7E54B?image=1; James Murphy - family and estate information - The Australian Star, December 26, 1896, see here
(15) Brighton Cemetorians database https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/. Margaret Paxton death notice -The Age, August 9, 1960, p.16.
(16) Murphy/Balcombe marriage certificate; Murphy/Balcombe wedding notice - The Argus, August 26, 1878, see here; Alexander Murphy's Birth certificate; Jane Emma Murphy death notice - The Argus, September 24, 1924, see here and her Obituary Frankston & Somerville Standard, September 26, 1924, see here; Jane Murphy's Will at the Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/0D1AA1AD-F562-11E9-AE98-FD384DDD5A9F?image=1
Alexander Balcombe entry – Australian Dictionary of Biography - https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/balcombe-alexander-beatson-2922;
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