Early Crookwell resident William Oram had his finger in many local pies, including this very newspaper, which he founded. Read this first installment about his life's story.
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William Henry Oram was born on November 30, 1836 in Onger, Essex, England and baptised on February 5, 1837 at St John the Baptist, Hoxton, Middlesex, England. His parents were William and Charlotte. William married Mary Ann Walsh on March 13, 1859 in Brighton Victoria. They had 10 children.
William and Mary Ann settled in Ballarat and his first job was as a gardener at the Ballarat District Orphan Asylum, he won a prize for first class gardener at the Ballarat Agricultural Show in March 1873.
Upon settling in Ballarat he immediately became involved in the community and in 1878 was part of a group of people petitioning the Department of Education to build a school at Pine Lodge.
The family then moved to Shepparton where William set up his own nursery and garden centre. He was the first auctioneer in Shepparton.
His involvement with the community was rewarded with a street being named after him in Shepparton, Victoria.
By the end of 1878, William was experiencing financial difficulties. A reference in the Bendigo Advertiser, Friday, November 8, 1878, reads:
“Compulsory Sequestration.—In the Equity Court yesterday (we learn from the Herald) Mr Justice Molesworth made an order absolute for the compulsory sequestration of the estate of William Henry Oram, of Shepparton, auctioneer.”
The family relocated to Sydney where William gained his auctioneer’s license in 1880.
He then moved to Crookwell, living in Robertson Street.
He set up his company W.H. Oram Auctioneer and Commission Agent.
William was also working for the Goulburn Penny Post in September 1881.
He was extremely successful and became involved in every aspect of community life.
He organised petitions to the Department of Education for schools in far outlying areas to be built, he was for a time Honorary Secretary of the Crookwell Agricultural and Pastoral Association, an exhibits judge at Goulburn’s Annual Show.
He was involved with the Laggan Butter Factory, Crookwell Flour Mill, Crookwell Butter Factory, Crookwell Prospecting Association, Crookwell Progress Committee and the Citizens’ Vigilance Committee. He was an officer in the Masonic Fraternity which ceased to operate in Crookwell from 1890 to 1903.
William was elected a Provisional Director of the Provincial Press Association in early 1890. He was a member of the Temperance Society.
William was aware of the need for stockyards in Crookwell and so secured a parcel of land consisting of the slope of land bounded by Colyer Street, Wade Street, Spring Street and Cowper Street and proceeded to have them built.
In 1883 William was to expand his business portfolio by opening an agency of the Norwich Union Insurance Co, in the Argus Office, Belmore Square, Goulburn.
He entered the newspaper business in 1882 when he and James Locke were the proprietors of both the Southern Daily Argus with a subtitle The Daily Evening Argus.
The Argus was Goulburn’s first daily newspaper.
- Part 1 of a 3-part series. To be continued.
