Isaac Swift

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Isaac Swift was born in 1807, in England, and after arriving in Tasmania in 1927, he married Ellen McHenry, in 1836.

Their son Isaac, was born four years later.
The family arrived in the Frankston area in 1851.
An 1854 map which has "Swift’s Hut" noted on it, shows land above Tanti Creek owned by Swift.
He sold land between Tanti Ave and Gordon Street to Thomas Allchin, for 20 gold sovereigns and a keg of rum.

An early electors’ notice shows him as a butcher, living in Frankston, and having land at Schnapper Point.

Isaac’s wife Ellen died in 1857, and a son Edward, was buried in the Mornington Cemetery the following year.

An early Mornington family, the Swifts operated an abattoir in Racecourse Road. Fourth and fifth generations of this family were still found to be involved in the butchering trade in later years.

Isaac, the patriach, also had a bullock team which he used to cart wood, for shipping to Melbourne. In 1857, Isaac’s bullock team conveyed newly married Sarah Allchin from where she was staying in Frankston, with her sister, to her new home in Schnapper Point.

It was these same bullocks that shortly afterwards ate the linen, that she had brought from England, and which was drying on the line.

Isaac died in 1872 and is buried in the Mornington Cemetery.

Isaac Swift Jnr was also an early pioneer of the district. He worked for many years for Mr Hunt of Coolart Station, tried his luck on the goldfields and for many years was employed by Judge Webb of Tanti Park.

Isaac died at his home at Green Island in 1912. Grandson Edward Swift and his sons are also buried in the cemetery.