William Firth
William Firth arrived in Victoria at the age of sixteen, to join his two brothers, James and John.
The three of them went to try their luck on the goldfields without much success.
They returned and did contracting work, wood cutting, using their saw-pit for cutting out planks from logs for piers and buildings.
"Orkney Farm" Photo courtesy:
of Somerville & Tyabb District Heritage Society
William married Ann Scott in June 1882, he was 45 and Ann was 22 years of age. It is said that Ann was the first white child born in Somerville.
William established "Orkney" Farm on the east corner of Coolart and Eramosa Roads. It was named after his homeland (Orkney Isles) in Scotland and it was there he devoted his energies to mixed farming. He was one of the first to grow wheat in these parts.
His Clydesdale horses that were put out to stud were well known, and always bought high prices.
In July 1882, William was seriously injured when the horse pulling his dray bolted, on the "Tanti Hill".
During William’s long residence on the Mornington Peninsula, he acquired 1,000 acres of land. His Scottish ancestry provided him with a keen eye for a bargain, but he won the respect of all who knew him as a kindly neighbour, a staunch friend and a just foe.
South Bourke and Mornington Journal
26 July 1882, p3
William Firth's dray accident 19th. July 1882
Accident. - A very serious accident occurred on Wednesday evening, the 19th inst, between 6 and 7 o'clock, to one of our residents, Mr Firth, of Moorooduc. Mr Firth had been to the Point for a plough, and was driving in a one horse dray in which he had the plough, and on his road home in ascending Tanti Hill about one mile from the Point, the throat strap of the horse's bridle broke, and the winkers came off, upon which the horse, a rather restive one, took fright, and at once plunged off at a wild gallop along the main road, and down the Bungower road. After miraculously passing a dangerous cutting on this road, Norman's bridge, and hill, Mr Firth remaining in the dray, and fearful of the horse running into some of the culvert drains on the road, he, when near to Mr Perratt's residence tried to get out of the dray - in doing which, he was thrown with great violence to the ground. Mr Perratt, who happened to be at his gate, heard the horse and dray come plunging along the road, and heard Mr Firth fall, and went at once to his assistance, and found him scarcely conscious. He at once called his son and they assisted Mr Firth to Mr Perratt's house where every assistance was rendered to the sufferer. It was discovered that the left arm was broken, (a compound fracture) between the elbow and shoulder, and a nasty cut on the left side of the head and neck, almost severing the ear. Dr Goodworth was at once sent for and attended to the sufferer's hurts. In addition to the above, Mr Firth has sustained a very severe internal shaking, all who know Mr Firth and Mrs Firth (quite lately married), will deeply sympathise with them. Mr Firth has been brought into the Point to his sister's, Mr and Mrs Jenkins for convenience of medical attendance, and I believe is making fair progress to recovery. In connection with the foregoing, the horse continued its wild career, turned down the three chain road, stopped for a moment at Mr Cook's gate - then off again, and up the Bungower road in the direction for home. A young lady, Miss Hodgins, on horseback was coming in the opposite direction, and the night being dark, she pulled her horse to the side of the fence for safety, when the run-away left the track, ran up and stopped at her horse's head, and was shortly secured by Mr Henry Perratt who had gone in chase. Had the run-away not stopped at the precise moment it did, the consequences to Miss Hodgins must have been very serious.