Mallala Museum - Hidden Secrets

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In 1877, the Mallala Milling Company was floated with a capital investment of ten thousand pounds. A site in the township was chosen and James Martin and Co of Gawler were contracted to build all the machinery and carpentry for the new Mallala Mill.
The foundation stone was laid on 26 July 1878 by Miss M.A. Chivell, who was presented with a silver trowel for her efforts.[1]

The Mill was opened by Mr W. Cavanagh M.P. on Tuesday 18 March 1879.

The completed building was three stories tall, built from hammer-dressed limestone, with brick quoins and cement dressings.  At the rear was a shed that contained a Cornish boiler manufactured at James Martin and Co in Gawler. The boiler drove a horizontal engine of 22 horsepower, with a flywheel weighing three tons.
 The mill consisted of three pairs of French burr stones, each being 3 feet and 8 inches in diameter.[2]

On 31 August 1880, just after 12 noon, the boiler at the Mallala Mill exploded. Mr Armfield, the Mills engineer had just been to check on the boiler and returned to the engine room when the accident happened. The boiler exploded, blowing down half of the boiler-house walls and bursting numerous pipes. The explosion blew the roof of the engine and boiler room houses and shattered the base of the chimney stack. Luckily, no one lost their lives, as most workers had gone to lunch, however, Mr Armfield received some head injuries from flying debris

When the mill closed, the inner workings, the steam engine and grinder were removed and used at the Blyth Mill.[3] Mathew Henry East held the title in 1909, and in 1933, East Brothers and Co took possession

In 1947 the 50-foot-tall chimney, made from over 6000 bricks, that had been built in 1878 was demolished. It had been declared unsafe and a risk to the buildings nearby

The Mallala and Districts Historical committee was formed in 1968, and in 1970, the Adelaide Plains Council bought Mallala Flour Mill to be used as a museum. The museum holds a comprehensive military display of local involvement, farming machinery, an REO Speedwagon Fire Engine, displays of old typewriters, toys, blacksmith forge, and Mr Temby’s penny-farthing, which was ridden in the Adelaide Xmas Pageant by Lance Tiller. The Long Plains Schoolroom has many displays, and recently, in 2021, a new upstairs gallery was opened and dedicated to long term volunteer, the late Margaret Tiller.

The Mallala Museum is considered one of the finest local heritage museums in South Australia. It is open every Sunday afternoon from 2pm until 4:30pm and is run by volunteers. <end transcript>

© 2021 Allen Tiller


[1] 'Laying the Foundation Stone of Mallala Flour Mill', Yorke's Peninsula Advertiser, (6 August 1878), p. 4.

[2] 'Opening of the Mallala Mill.', South Australian Register, (20 March 1879), p. 1.

[3] 1947 'Out Among The People', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 15 April, p. 4. , viewed 14 Aug 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article30522934

  The Murder of James Curran.

 

Grave of James Curran - SLSA [B 28120]

  James Curran worked at Minnipa on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. He was employed by the Hydraulic Engineers Department, working on constructing a holding tank for the Tod River water scheme in 1927.
 On Sunday morning, 30 January 1927, Curran had a drink of coffee before breakfast and became ill.
 Before he died and in throes of agony, Curran spoke to the foreman, H.E. Scott. He gave the address of his daughter at Warrnambool, but before he got to speak his son’s address, he died.^[1]

  It was believed that poison had been put with sugar that Curran had used to sweeten his coffee. Police constables Hann and Cain investigated. They found that a cook from the construction camp had suicided six months earlier and that recently two pigs, who had eaten scraps from the camp dinner, had also died. Further investigation was sought.

  An inquest was held under the watch of Dr McCarthy of Wudinna, ordered by Coroner A.G. Collyer-Braham.
 At the inquest, Charles Jones, the assistant cook gave evidence of the morning of Curran’s death. He said that at 7:30 am Curran came into the kitchen with a pannikin. Jones put coffee and sugar in it. Curran remarked to Jones, “What did you out in this? You are always putting jokes upon me.”
 Jones replied that he hadn’t put anything in it. Curran asked him to taste it, so he took a teaspoon full, which Jones thought tasted bitter.
 Curran threw out his coffee and was poured a new one. A short while after drinking it, he shouted “I am poisoned!”^[2]

 Another witness, Walter Rowe, a Deputy Government Analyst, stated that he examined the 3 oz. of sugar in the container. In it, he found a ½ grain of strychnine. There was no poison in the sugar bag in the storeroom. He also examined Curran’s liver and kidneys and found enough of the poison present to deliver the fatal blow.

More witnesses were called, and a suspect pointed at. Frank Styrmin recalled that he had handed a bottle of strychnine to a man named Schultz who was with Carl Bystedt. A suspect had been found.

 

Based on circumstantial evidence, Carl Eugene Elwing Bystedt was committed for murder.^[3] Coroner A.G. Collyer-Braham stated that the evidence against Bystedt was strong. He commended Detectives Slade and Golds on their investigation into the case and their collection of evidence, which met with difficult circumstances due to a large portion of the workers at the camp being foreigners whose first language was not English.
Coroner Collyer-Braham stated,

“That James Curran came to his death on January 30 at mess camp at Minnipa through strychnine poisoning, after having drunk a cup of coffee, in which was mixed sugar containing strychnine.' He stated that the evidence against Bystedt was so strong that he must face the jury at the next sitting of the Criminal Court.”^[4]

 Bystedt was taken to Adelaide to face charges. The South Australian Crown Solicitor, A.J. Hannan, investigated the case and decided that there was barely any evidence that pointed toward Bystedt being the murderer.^[5] As there was no case, Bysted walked a free man.^[6]

 

James Curran is buried in the Minnipa cemetery.

© 2021 Allen Tiller.

[1] 'Poisoning Case at Minnipa.', West Coast Sentinel, (4 February 1927), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168243416.

[2] 'Minnipa Inquest.', The Register, (23 February 1927), p. 15., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54886406.

[3] 'Minnipa Tragedy', Barrier Miner, (24 February 1927), p. 4., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45981347.

[4] 'Minnipa Tragedy.', The Register, (25 February 1927), p. 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54884520.

[5] 'No Indictment.', The Armidale Chronicle, (9 April 1927), p. 6., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188070777.

[6] 'Minippa Tragedy.', Recorder, (8 April 1927), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95872984.

 The 1855 Macclesfield Murder.

 

Davenport Arms Hotel 1921 – SLSA [B 34161] 

 On Monday 24 September 1885, an inquest was held at the Davenport Arms, Macclesfield after the murder of a local man named James Spencer.
 On the Friday prior, locals witnessed Spencer dressed in his best clothing at about 7pm in the evening, after he voted in a local election. He was seen to return to his small home about three-quarters of a mile from the town.

Spencer lived by himself. A neighbour, Mr Crick, noted that no smoke left his chimney on Saturday and Sunday; something that in 1855, would have been a regular occurrence anytime someone cooked, or even wanted to boil the kettle, being as there was no electricity or modern conveniences.
  Crick went over to check on his neighbour and found the old man had been murdered.

The police were called immediately, and upon inspection, locked the door of the house so any potential evidence would not be corrupted. The police then informed the local magistrate and then investigated the home.

At the inquest, it was revealed that Spencer had been stabbed twice in the chest, and three times in his side. He had been left to bleed out. Spencer’s blood covered his body and much of the interior of the hut. Near his body was a washbasin filled with water, where the murderer had washed his hands.^[1]

 

  After the announcement of his murder in local media, a story was published in the South Australian Register about Spencer’s life by his former employer. It was revealed that Spencer was a ‘ticket-of-leave’ man, a former prisoner at Tasmania, sent from Oxfordshire, England.
 Spencer had lived in poverty in his younger days, and worked as a chimney sweep.
Spencer had a grand idea one day. He decided to descend into a house through the chimney and rob it. On his way back up he got stuck in the chimney. He tried to escape but wedged himself tighter, he had no choice but to call for help. When help did arrive, a large section of the brickwork had to be removed to free him. His loot was discovered, and he was arrested, sentenced, and sent to Van Diemen’s Land.

 The author of the description did not know what Spencer was like, nor how long he served during his time in Tasmania’s gaols. However, he stated that Spencer had,

 “Sacred veneration for what he termed his word of honour. His word was literally his bond, and his integrity in fulfilling his encasements was unimpeachable, he was a man of a charitable disposition, and was ever ready, as far as his scanty means would admit, to assist those who were in need, while with scrupulous pertinacity he would avoid incurring an obligation himself.”^[2]

 

It was also written that Spencer was not keen on socialising. He kept few friends, never married, and kept to himself as much as possible.

 The author of the letter addressing the character of Spencer was Mr E. Holthouse, of South Terrace Adelaide. He went on to describe that he had recently employed Spencer as a log splitter. He stated that Spencer was physically strong and that he believed the person in the hut had been caught by Spencer, who tried to stop the infiltrator from robbing him, resulting in his murder.

 The police never found the murderer, and in a statement published in the Adelaide Observer, the South Australian Police Commissioner of the day said: "society is unable to avenge the death of one who had almost entirely withdrawn himself from her circle."
 A curious statement, that may hint at the possibility the police were not going to waste their time on an ex-convict’s death.^[3]

 After the inquest, the jury returned the following verdict of: “Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.' The deceased was a single man, about 50 years of age, and followed the occupation of a splitter.”^[4]

Spencer’s belongings and property were sold in January 1856 at auction.^[5]

© 2021 Allen Tiller


[1] 'Declarations.', South Australian Register, (28 September 1855), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49294447.

[2] 'The Macclesfield Murder.', South Australian Register, 95 October 1855), p. 3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49298678.

[3] 'The Police Report.', Adelaide Observer, (17 November 1855), p. 6., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158100707.

[4] 'No title', South Australian Register, (26 September 1855), p. 2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49298367.

[5] 'Advertising', Adelaide Times, (29 December 1855), p. 4., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207076731.