Major Charles Newman (1783-1865)




Charles Newman


Charles NEWMAN was born in the village of Cranborne, County of Dorset, England on the 21 December 1783. He was the first son of Thomas and Mary NEWMAN whose home was near the hamlet of Monkton/Monckton which lies three miles north of Cranborne. At the age of 17, in 1801 he was nominated as a cadet for the Bombay Establishment of the Honorable East India Company under the sponsorship of Paul Le MESURIER, the Headmaster of Hailebury College. This college was the training facility for the civil and military officers, who were employed by the company in its virtual monopoly of the East India trade and the Administration of India such as it was in those days. Charles NEWMAN was trained at the college for a further five years before entering the Madras Military Establishment in 1806.

He rose within the ranks during the next 30 years and attained the rank of Major in the Indian Army commanding the 51st Regiment Bengal Native Infantry. He married Catherine OTTO, the widow of Sergeant Josiah READER who had died of cholera at Fort St George during 1823. Catherine had one daughter named Maria Augusta READER who was born in 1822 at Madras, Tamil Nadu, India. She was also pregnant with a second child at the time of Josiah's death. In 1824 Isabella Reader was born at Madras. Tamil, Nadu.

Records prove that Charles NEWMAN and Catherine READER had a son born on the 8th February 1828 at Madras whom they named Thomas NEWMAN. The birth record which was sourced from the East India Register, states the child was his son and heir. The child died on the 20th June, 1829 aged 1 year, four months and twelve days. The infant Thomas NEWMAN was buried at St. John's Church, Tiruchirappalli, Trichy Cemetery Madras. Late in 1828 their second son Charles was born at Madras, Tamil Nadu. In 1833 a daughter was also born at Madras and was named Caroline.

Marriage records show that Charles NEWMAN and Catherine OTTO were married at Madras, Tamil Nadu, India on the 8th September 1834. As his sight had degraded, Charles NEWMAN retired from the Honorable East India Company army on the 10 September 1834 and with his family and two step daughters migrated to the penal colony of Van Diemans Land (VDL) Tasmania. The NEWMAN family arrived at Hobart on the ship Princess Victoria on the 10 November 1834. He expected to get a grant of land in VDL only to find out that free grants of land had been abolished. He procured a job supervising convict labour at a place called Pontville where there was a Garrison and Barracks. He travelled to Port Phillip Bay in about 1837. Hearing that land was selling quickly in the newly formed town of Melbourne he followed the Yarra River on the north side from Heidelberg. Fertile flats along the creek attracted his eye and he purchased a large area of land that totalled 640 acres what is now known as Newmans Road, Templestowe. He held a pastoral lease on 10,000 acres through Templestowe, Warrandyte and East Doncaster where he grazed sheep, cattle and bred horses.

A further two children were born to Charles and Catherine while in VDL, Louisa born near Brighton in 1836 and Thomas born in Hobart town on the 15th January 1839. In 1840 Major NEWMAN was the first permanent (European) settler who squatted on the land at the junction of Deep Creek, now Mullum Mullum, and the Yarra River. In 1843 he settled with all of his family at the homestead he built and named "Pontville". Within a few years Major NEWMAN built a second family home at Monckton. He eventually owned 640 acres freehold, and leased 10,000 acres throughout Warrandyte, Templestowe and East Doncaster. In 1852 he built a third house in Lennox Street, Hawthorn. Their final child was born in 1842 at Pontville and named Mary Anne. The NEWMAN family, at this time were the the furthest settlers east of Melbourne. Their descendants occupied the land until 1955, the only descendants to still carry on the NEWMAN name today are the WEBSTER Family. Maria Augusta Reader (NEWMAN) daughter of Catherine OTTO and step daughter of Major Charles NEWMAN married Thomas CUNNINGHAM an early descendant of the HORGAN - CARROLL and CLEAR Families.

Much has been documented about Major Charles NEWMAN over the years during the history of Templestowe. He had run ins with the local bushranger gang whom he pursued relentlessly. The bushrangers were said to be former convicts whom he harshly supervised in VDL. To get even they raided his farm and on one occassion led him away to the horse paddock with the intention of shooting him. His wife Catherine stepped in and demanded to go with them to the paddock. This saved his life, the bushrangers took his best horses then rode away. The second band of the bushranger gang raided his homestead shortly after this encounter and while they ransacked his home and stole priceless possessions they forced him to stick his head in a chimney while the robbery took place. Eventually the bushrangers were captured and hanged in Melbourne. Most of Major Newmans stolen property (military medals and artifacts) were later found hidden on a property not far away and returned to him.

Major Newman was also harsh on the local natives who constantly set fires in his paddocks and property. He insisted that his employees be armed and use their weapons against the natives. To get even for the harsh treatment a group of these local natives ascended onto his homestead armed with spears with the intent of killing him. Catherine hid him in the chimney and eventually the natives went away. On coming out of the chimney, the story goes, that he was singed and all black and covered with with soot. The Major also had problems with the law and order procedures and decisions made by the magistrates in the colony. On several occasions he questioned the decisions of magistrates when things did not go the way he expected. On at least one instance he was threatened with contempt of court by the presiding benchman.

Major NEWMAN grazed cattle and sheep with his two sons. He bred horses, welsh ponies and turned to breeding and racing thoroughbred horses in the surrounding districts . He had his own racetrack at the river flats by Homestead Road. He owned a racehorse called "Necromncer" that was the best blooded horse in the provence and valued at 700 guineas. The horse died suddenly in 1846. He regularly travelled back and forth between Tasmania (VDL) and the mainland to buy his cattle and sheep and once lost a valuable consignment of stock in a shipwreck. He appealed to the NSW Government for grants of land under the retired soldiers act but was denied as he had left his claim too late, he only had a certain amout of time to make application for land which had expired since his retirement from the army. Major NEWMAN employed native Indian servants for the running of his household needs. He would also attend incoming migrant ships to sign suitable employees for his farm, and would have police arrest those he considered did not meet their employment conditions. His daughter Caroline ran a small school house from her fathers property and students would row across the river from Eltham each day to attend school.

The NEWMAN family were not without their share of tragedies. The death certificates of Charles NEWMAN and Catherine OTTO (READER) confirms that their eldest child was born 1828 in India and named Thomas, followed by another son late 1828 who they named Charles. A third son was born in 1839 at HobartTown, VDL and also named Thomas. There was also a reference at the NEWMAN - Monckton Family Crypt to the death of a son named Thomas, who is now confirmed as their first born and buried at Trichy Cemetery, Madras in 1829.

Louisa NEWMAN died at Templestowe on the 19th December 1853 aged 17 years, Caroline NEWMAN died at Templestowe in 1857 aged 24.

Catherine OTTO (READER) died at Hawthorne, Victoria on the 8th February 1865, Major Charles NEWMAN died shortly after on the 12 September 1865, he was totally blind when he died. His death certificate gives the year of 1865 as the year of his death, on his headstone it is shown as 1866. Thomas NEWMAN died on the 6th June 1869 at Collingwood aged 30. He left a wife Susannah Victoria NEWMAN (nee WEBB) and and two daughters, his two sons born earlier had died in infancy and buried at the Monckton family cemetery. Charles NEWMAN (junior) died at Warrambyte in 1904. Mary Ann NEWMAN married Edward Richard CROSSWELL in Melbourne during 1865. The marriage produced ten children three of whom died at an early age. Mary Anne died on the 12th June 1903 at Prospect Grove, Northcote, Victoria. She was buried in Whittlesea (Yan Yeah) Cemetery.

Both the Major and his wife Catherine were buried in the family crypt at Monckton located at the end of Homestead Road. Burial on private land was discouraged by the government and was finally abandoned several years later. After the area was divided into orchard lots. The NEWMAN remains and their headstones were moved to the Templestowe Cemetery in 1910. Monckton was demolished in 1968. Local history has it that the grave diggers who were supposed to relocated Major NEWMAN's remains simply moved the headstones to Templestowe cemetery leaving the remains where they were originally buried at the entrance gates to Monckton homestead (now called Windrush). The will of Major Charles NEWMAN was very demanding and insisted that if his son Thomas married into the WEBB family he was to forfeit his share of the inheritance. In 1862 Thomas did marry Susannah WEBB and after the death of Charles in 1865 and Thomas in 1869, Mary Ann NEWMAN permitted her sister in-law Susannah NEWMAN and her two nieces to remain and share the NEWMAN estate

The two step daughters of Major Charles Newman, Maria Augusta READER married Thomas CUNNINGHAM at Green Ponds, Tasmania during 1839. Maria and Thomas settled at Templestowe and raised a large family. Maria died on the 4th July 1897 and is interned at Templestowe Cemetery. Isabella Reader married Joseph HAYNES at Melbourne in 1843. Isabella and Joseph also raised a large family and eventually moved to Sydney NSW where she died on the 9th November 1898 at Newtown NSW. She was buried a few days later at Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney.



Major Charles Newman Lone Grave Site, East of Homestead Road, Templestowe.  A10.

HISTORY :  Major Charles Newman served as commanding officer of the 51st Bengal Native Infantry of the East India Company, in India.' He retired on September 6, 1834. He arrived at Van Diemen's Land at the end of that year and worked supervising convict labour. In 1837, he sailed to Port Philip to select land. He followed the Yarra on the north side near Heidelberg (which had been already sold), and built a turf cottage, then a house "Pontville", about 1845, which still stands.(2)  In 1846-7, he purchased "Monckton Station" and built the house "Monckton" in the early 1850s.(3)  He acquired a pre-emptive right of 640 acres and held a pastoral lease on 10,000 through Templestowe, Warrandyte and East Doncaster, grazing cattle & sheep and breeding horses. His own racetrack was on Homestead Road.  "Monckton" was demolished in 1968.(4)  In 1855, Newman left Templestowe to live in Lonsdale Street, as he went blind.  Both he and his wife were buried in the "family crypt at "Monckton" at the end of Homestead Road."  The seven Newman graves were moved to Templestowe Cemetery in 1910. "It is said that...the Major's bones are still lying near the gate to "Monckton" (now "Windrush") at the end of Homestead Road."(5)

VISUAL DESCRIPTION : A beautiful site overlooking the Yarra Valley to the North and the Creek Valley to the East. There is a large pine shading an old dam.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS : Victoria has a large number of lone grave burials. Most are now unmarked, like this one. Those that are identifiable are "extremely significant". Examples are : James "Tally Ho" Taylor of Major Mitchell's party (1836) on the Broken River at Benalla; of Alexander Miller (1862) at Murrindindi, Yea; of Agnes Kistock (1847) Havey Park, Strathbogie; and of Eliza Archer (1847), Crooke Street, Lucknow at Bairnsdale.(6)

SIGNIFICANCE : An unmarked lone grave site of local historical significance of Major Charles Newman and his family. Newman was the first settler of Templestowe in 1837, the builder of "Pontville" (c1845) and "Monckton" (1850s, now demolished).

INTACTNESS  The gravestone has been relocated.

CONDITION & THREATS : No threats known. The site should be sufficiently disinterred to determine whether it still holds the remains. If so, it should be identified and interpreted and protected from rabbits and stock.

REFERENCES :
1. Hazel Poulter (Editor Jim Poulter), Templestowe : A Folk  History, Templestowe, 1985, p.4. This history is indebted to Mrs Poulter's outline.
2. Context Pty. Ltd., City of Doncaster and Templestowe. Heritage Study, Doncaster 1991, p.61 for "Pontville". Paul de Serville, Port Philip  Gentlemen, Melbourne 1980, p.193 has him living "in Oriental splendour at Heidelberg".
3. Refer : A26, "Windrush", Homestead Road, Templestowe.
4. Poulter, op.cit. 5. Ibid. 6. Celestina Sagazio (Editor), Cemetaries : Our Heritage (National Trust of Australia Victoria), Melbourne 1992, pp.117-119 & 154-155.

Source: Manningham Heritage Study Volume 2 Context Pty Ltd 2006


Artist: RossTownsend. Owned by: CarlWebster. The house appearance is based of a photo that appeared in The Age in 1933, as well as various description Carl found.

The original burial site is at the end of Homestead Road. Near petty orchard behind the cattle yard. It is a heritage listed site.

There were 7 Newman family burials: Major Charles Newman, Catherine Newman, Louisa Newman, Caroline Newman, Thomas Newman and his two infants sons Ascot and Thomas. Remains were meant to be transferred to cemetery in 1910. But only headstones were removed. The base of Louisa Newman headstone marks the site.




  Remains of Major Charles Newman's (or Louisa's ?) headstone near the east end of Homestead Road, Templestowe. The original headstones marking the final resting place of Major Newman and members of his family were removed from Monckton to the Templestowe Cemetery in 1910. It is believed however, that the bodies were left undisturbed. The Newman private cemetery was, and still is, on private property.   DP0699


Remains of Major Charles Newman's (or Louisa's)  headstone near the east end of Homestead Road, Templestowe.  DP0701


Newman Graves - Templestowe cemetery - plaque and 4 headstones:


Newman Graves - Templestowe cemetery - Plaque at front of graves:
"Charles Newman 1783-1865 Born Dorset, England. Major of the Honourable East India Company. Forst St George Mdras. Settled in Tasmania 1834. Templestowe First permanent Settler 1837. Pontville Deep Creek.  Seven Tombstones of the Newman family removed from Monckton private cemetery 1910. His death certificate record death in 1865 - Aged 83 years."


Newman Graves - Templestowe cemetery - Plaque at front of graves:


Charles Newman Headstone - - Templestowe cemetery: In Memory of Charles Newman. ?? Major ??? E.I.C. Service 51 Reg - Bengal Native Infantry - Died 12? September 1866 - Aged 81 years

Louisa Newman Headstone - Templestowe cemetery ?: To the memory of Louisa, the daughter of Major Newman, who died Dec 10? 1885? aged 16 years and 9 months.

Caroline Newman Headstone Sacred to the memory of Caroline. The eldest beloved daughter of Major and Catherine Newman. Died, deeply regretted by all who knew her.   Nov 1 1857. Aged 20 years. may her soul rest in peace.


Catherine Newman Headstone: In memory of Catherine. Wife of Major Newman. Died February 6 1865. Aged 64 years. May her soul rest in peace.

Major Charles Newman in the Courts


During 1847 - 1848 Major Charles NEWMAN had several newspaper recorded court room arguments with the Melbourne Magistrates when rulings or decisions they made did not turn out the way that he would have expected. As an ex Army Officer and upholder of English discipline and justice he wanted the civil administrators of the colony to be harsh in handing down strict sentences to those who broke the laws, especially against him. His courtroom outbursts demonstrated this point.

AN ABSCONDER. Source: The Melbourne Argus - Friday 1 September 1848.
Major NEWMAN appeared at the Police Office on tuesday last, to substantiate a charge which he had preferred against a youth in his employ, named John WATTS, for neglect of duty and then absconding from his hired service. The gallant Major stated his complaint of twelve specific acts of negligence and disobedience of orders, but particularly dwelt upon the boy refusing to take out his sheep on sunday last, upon which occasion defendant stated he had not engaged as a shepherd, and moreover, that being a lad the Police Bench would not punish him for his refusal. On being called upon for his defence, the boy said he was badly fed and hardly treated by the Major; that no later than last week he had been given as rations portions of a diseased lamb, and therefore bolted to his parents for some wholesome food. The Major offered to produce evidence to rebut this assertion, but the Bench did not think it necessary, as it was highly improbable, and was not credited by them. The Bench mulcted the lad of all wages due, and ordered him back to his employment. During the investigation of the case, Major NEWMAN stated that his complaints did not receive that degree of attention from the Police Bench which a proper feeling of justice would warrant; upon this the following fracas took place: - Mr James SMITH (one of the presiding magistrates): - I will not allow you (addressing the Major) to make use of such language in this Court. You are in the habit of animadverting upon the judicial conduct of the magistrates in a manner totally uncalled for, and I tell you plainly I shall not tolerate it for a moment. Major NEWMAN: - If I have animadverted upon their conduct, I presume I had and still have reason for so doing. Mr RUTLEDGE, J.P. (from Belfast): - I consider, Major NEWMAN, such a remark extremely impertinent. This is the first time I have sat upon this Bench, and therefore your language cannot possibly apply to me; but I feel convinced your remark is equally impertinent when applied to the other magistrates. Major NEWMAN: - I beg to state to your Worship (addressing Mr RUTLEDGE) that I did not intend my words to apply to you. Mr SMITH: - It is no matter who you applied them to, Sir; and if you cannot behave yourself in a Court of Justice in a more becoming manner, I shall commit you for contempt. Major NEWMAN: - Well, you can do that if you are inclined, I suppose, and abide the consequences.
Mr. RUTLEDGE: - Such conduct, Major, is extremely unseemly; and I trust that in future you will treat the Bench with becoming respect. Major NEWMAN: I have not been treated fairly in this Court; I have frequently made statements in cases where I was interested, but persons in this office have thought it too much trouble to take them down. Mr BELCHER:, Clerk of the Bench, said - the last remark of Major NEWMAN, if applied to him was incorrect ; and as the Major did not vouchsafe a reply, the matter dropped.

THE MAGISTRACY. - Some days ago, Source: The Melbourne Argus - Friday 25th August 1848
Mrs. NEWMAN, wife of Major NEWMAN, applied to the Police Bench for a warrant to apprehend a runaway servant named BADDELL. The presiding Magistrate, Mr. A. McLACHLAN refused to entertain the case, upon the grounds that Mrs. NEWMAN was not competent to file an information in a matter where her husband was the complainant. On wednesday Major NEWMAN attended at the Police office for the purpose of making the application in person, when it was ascertained that the defendant had effectually baffled every attempt which could possibly be made for his capture by leaving the Province. Major NEWMAN, thereupon, took the Bench to task for negligently administering the laws, owing to which he said criminals escaped the punishment due to their offences, and employers of labour, as in his own case, were subjected to serious inconvenience and pecuniary loss; Mrs. NEWMAN had frequently acted for him in India and some of the adjacent Colonies while he had been otherwise engaged, and he could not understand why a similar practice should not obtain here; the Melbourne Magistrates did not know or would not comprehend their duties, and the public were the sufferers; these were the only British Colonies where the laws were improperly administered. Mr HULL, one of the presiding Magistrates informed the Major that such language would not be tolerated, as he was convinced that the Magistrates of Melbourne performed their duty as fearlessly, as honestly, and, according to their ability, as efficiently as any other justices in the world; with regard to Mr. McLACHLAN, he believed the language used in connection with that gentleman's refusal to entertain the former case, was equally uncalled for and unwarrantable ; he would not sit there and hear such aspersions cast upon the Magisterial character of the Port Phillip Bench, otherwise it might he construed that his silence was a tacit acknowledgment of their truth, especially when these charges were made by a gentleman in a high rank of life such as Major NEWMAN. The Major explained that his language did not apply to the Magistrates then on the Bench ; but Mr. HULL interrupted him, and directed him to wait upon the Clerk of the Bench with regard to the subject of his complaint.

AN ABSCONDER. Source: The Melbourne Argus Tuesday 29 August 1848.
Major NEWMAN applied to the Police Bench yesterday, for awarrant under the Masters and Servants' Act to apprehend a man named George WATTS, who had absconded from his hired service. The warrant was ordered to issue. Major NEWMAN stated to the Bench that unless assistance was afforded him by the Magistrates, he would be unable to keep a single man upon his station ; the new arrivals from Britain he said were uncontrollable, and although receiving high wages were little better than useless. Mr. WESTBY said the Bench would afford every reasonable assistance, with which the Major appeared more pleased than upon his former visit to the Police office.

A FATAL FLAW. Source: The Melbourne Argus Friday 23 April 1847.
A man named George SELLERS who had been in the employment of Major NEWMAN and was sentenced to one month's imprisonment for disobedience of his master's orders and at the expiration of his incarceration to return to his master and complete his agreement, was on wednesday last brought before the Magistrates charged with "absenting himself from his hired service." It appeared that the man had been released from gaol two days before, and had not as he had been desired returned to his master. The magistrates held that this was not an absenting within the meaning of the Act and SELLERS. was consequently discharged.

Source: Charles Newman 1783 - 1865 (rootsweb.com)  Downloaded Mar2023 


Major Charles Newman - Fire

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE - SOUTH YARRA.

To the Editor of the Argus.

SIR,—The fearful Thursday ever to be re-membered in this colony, was equally destructive on the south side, as on tho north side of the Yarra.
Major Newman chose that day of all days to set fire to his stubble, the flames of which soon became uncontrollable, and swept in their on-ward course all the possessions of the unfortu-nate people who live by sawing and splitting— all of whom were obliged to run for their lives abandoning all they possessed but what was on their backs.
Mr Thompson, Warrandyte, had two drays de-stroyed with their loads of sawed timber.
Mr Louis Robinson of the Deep Creek, lost his all, his entire premises being swept away.
On the evening of that day, no less than fifty persons took refuge in the only place spared in the Deep Creek, Bulleen, that of Mr Pickering who was obliged to bestride his dwelling, and have water incessantly handed him to keep off burning flakes of bark which were flying in the air and endangered every dwelling.
The people thus houseless in the Deep Creek, Bulleen, who were all engaged in sawing or split-ting wood, have lost not only the timber sawn, but their tools with which they got their living— in consequence they are destitute, and are set soliciting the aid of their more fortunate neighbours.'

BRITANNICUS.
Bulleen, 12th February, 1851.

Source:   1851 'ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 14 February, p. 2. , viewed 24 Mar 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4776193



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