Eliza/Elise Josephine Blampied

Other Events:

• Electoral Roll: 17 Jul 1903, The Horsham Times, Victoria; NHILL. Miss Blamfield has been given a farewell ball by her admirers of Nhill on the occasion of her leaving for Western Australia. The Rev. Father Jones presented Miss Blamfield with a silver -mounted purse from her music pupils, filled with sovereigns, subscribed by the adherents of the local Roman Catholic Church and outside friends. Miss Blamfield had been organist of the local Roman Catholic Church for years. Transcribed from "The Horsham Times, Victoria,' Friday 17 July 1903
• Electoral Roll: 1909, Margaret Road, Midland Junction; West Australia Electoral Roll Division, Freemantle Subdivision of Midland Junction Blampied, Lulu, Margaret Road, music teacher
• Electoral Roll: 1910, Dowerin, Toodyay; Western Australia Electoral Roll 1910 Division of Swan, Subdivision of Toodyay Hesford, Elise Josephine, Dowerin, married Hesford, Thomas William, Dowerin, general storekeeper
• Electoral Roll: 1916, Kununoppin, Toodyay; Western Australia Electoral Roll 1916 Division of Dampier, Subdivision of Toodyay Hesford, Elise Josephine, Kununoppin, married Hesford, Thomas William, Kununoppin, draper
• Personal: 4 Nov 1916, Stawell News and Pleasant Creek Chronicle, Victoria; Mrs Pergandie, who recently paid a visit to her mother, Mrs Martin Doyle of Patrick Street, has, with her little daughter, Teresa, returned safely to her home in Western Australia. After leaving Perth she made a short stay with a former Great Western girl, Lulu Blampied, who is now married and lives within 20 miles of Mrs Pergandie's home. Transcribed from "Stawell News and Pleasant Creek Chronicle, Victoria", Saturday 4 November 1916
• Death Notice: 28 Sep 1922, Western Mail, Perth, WA; HESFORD.-On September 19, 1922, at West Leederville, E. J. (Lulu), dearly beloved wife of Thomas William Hesford, and loving mother of Thomas, James, Alick, Frank, Stanley, late of Minnivale, aged 47 years. At rest. Melbourne and Nhill, Victoria, papers please copy. Transcribed from the "Western Mail, Perth, WA", Thursday, 28 Sep 1922
• In Memorium: 19 Sep 1927, The West Australian, Perth, WA; HESFORD.-In loving memory of our dear wife and mother, E. J. (Lulu) Hesford, who departed this life at Leederville on September 19, 1922. Ever remembered. Inserted by her loving husband, T. W. Hesford, and sons, Minnivale, W.A. Transcribed from "The West Australian, Perth, WA", Monday, 10 Sep 1927

Notes:

Birth:
Birth Registration
Surname: BLAMPIED: Given Names: Eliza Josephine : Event: Birth: Father: Emile: Mother: Mary METZGER: Birth Place: GREA: Year: 1875: Reg No 23261 [Victoria Pioneer Index 1836 -1888]


Buried:
Grant Number: K0098832. Roman Catholic Section.
Section: AA
Gravesite: 0058
(Metropolitan Cemeteries Board)

Died:
Name: Elsie J Hesford
Death Place: Western Australia
Registration Year: 1922
Registration Place: Perth, Western Australia
Registration Number: 1152
(West Australia Death Index)

Eliza/Elise married Thomas William Hesford 21 Nov 1906, St. Mary's Church, Midland Junction, Western Australia,. Thomas (son of James Hesford and Mary Leahy) was born Abt 1870, Victoria, Australia ; died 12 Aug 1945, Minnivale, Western Australia; was buried 14 Aug 1945, Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia . [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Married:
Name: Elise J Blampied
Marriage Place:Western Australia
Registration Place: Swan, Western Australia
Registration Year: 1906
Registration Number:57
(Western Australia Marriage Register)

Name: Thomas W Hesford
Marriage Place: Western Australia
Registration Place: Swan, Western Australia
Registration Year: 1906
Registration Number: 57
(Western Australia Marriage Register)

1. Thomas Louis Hesford was born 10 Sep 1907, Nurse Skinner's, Braidwood Cottage, Charles-street, Perth, Western Australia; died 21 Feb 2001, Busselton, Perth, Western Australia; was buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia .
2. James William Hesford was born 6 Apr 1910, Sunlight Hospital. Goomalling, Western Australia, Australia; died 15 Nov 1969, Geraldton, Western Australia; was buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia .
3. Alexander Emille Hesford was born 21 Mar 1912, Valescoe Hospittal, Harvest-terace, West Perth, Western Australia; died 23 Nov 2002, Palm Beach, Perth, Western Australia ; was buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia .
4. Francis Richard Hesford was born 1 Feb 1914, Kununoppin, Perth, Western Australia; died 15 Dec 2002, Perth, Western Australia; was buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia.
5. Gerald Stanislaus Hesford was born 22 Apr 1918, Nurse Rvan's Private Hospital, 61 Cambridge street, W. Leederville, Western Australia; died 14 Apr 2006, Menora, Perth Western Australia; was buried Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia .

Other Events:

• Emigration: Sep 1853, From France to Victoria, Australia; Emile emigrated with his sister Anne Marie. They are listed as Blompied. Emile with the christian names Nicholas Seir an Anne as Annie Blompied could be Blampied as the writing is hard to read. They are also listed as Blomfried Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists for British, Foreign and New Zealand Ports 1852-1923 Family Name First Name Age Month Year Ship Port Fiche Page Family Name: BLOMPIED; First Name: ANNIE: Age: 28 SEP 1853: Ship: EMMA GOODWIN: Port: B: Fiche: 050: Page: 001 Fmily Name: BLOMPIED: First Name: NICHOLAS SIER: Age: 18: Month: SEP: Year: 1853: Ship: EMMA GOODWIN: Port: B: Fiche: 050: Page: 001 Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists 1839 -1923 Name: Annie Blomfried: Estimated birth year: abt 1825 Age: 28 Arrival Date: 11 Sep 1853 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Plymouth Ship: Emma Goodwin Nationality: French Name: Sir Nicholas Blomfried: Estimated birth year: abt 1835 Age: 18 Arrival Date: 11 Sep 1853 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Plymouth Ship: Emma Goodwin Nationality: French [Ancestry.com] From the Passenger list for the Emma Goodwin Name: Annie Blomfried Estimated birth year: abt 1825 Age: 28 Arrival Date: 11 Sep 1853 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Plymouth Ship: Emma Goodwin Nationality: French (Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839?1923) Blompied? Blampied? Annie, age 28, nationality, French, destination Melbourne Blompied? Blampied? Imi? Nicholas, age 18, nationality, French, destination Melbourne (Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947], Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839?1923) Name: Sir Nicholas Blomfried Estimated birth year: abt 1835 Age: 18 Arrival Date: 11 Sep 1853 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Plymouth Ship: Emma Goodwin Nationality: French (Series: VPRS 7666; Series Title: Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (British Ports) [Microfiche Copy of VPRS 947], Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839?1923)
• Awards: 28 Aug 1869, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; WIMMERA DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. (ABRIDGED FROM THE ARARAT AND PLEASANT CREEK ADVERTISER. AUG. 20.) The first show of the above society came off yesterday at Pleasant Creek, and was a great success. The weather was fine, and visitors poured in during the whole of the earlier part of the day, to find the arrangements for their convenience admirably well devised, considering that this is the first show of a very young society. In wines there was a very fair amount of competition; for the best white wine of any age the first prize was taken by Messrs. Bryce and Chalmers; for that of 1868 first prize, Louis Metzger, of Concongella, and Trouette and Blancpied, of the Great Western, the second prize; for that of 1869 Louis Metzger, first prize. In the red wines, for the best half dozen of any age. Trouette and Blancpied, first prize, and Mooney Brothers, of Mooney's Gap, Avoca road, second prize; for that of 1868, Messrs. Mooney Brothers, first prize; for that of 1869, Messrs. Frey and Co. first prize, and Messrs. Trouette and Blancpied, second prize. It will be seen that, with only two exceptions, the prize-takers for wines are well-known growers in this district. For the best hogshead Colonial Ale the first prize was awarded to Mr. Powell, of the Excelsior Brewery, Stawell; Mr.Crawford, of the Ararat Brewery, obtaining honourable mention. A novel exhibit was made by Mr. Samuel Wilson, of Longerenong, in the shape of ostrich feathers. We append as complete a list of prizes as our reporter was able to obtain, his efforts not being a little impeded by a want of courtesy on the part of some of the officials. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 28 August 1869
• Personal: 11 Sep 1869, Leader, Melbourne, Victoria ; WINES AT THE WIMMERA SHOW. Sir,-We are sorry to have to trouble, but you have unfortunately copied the mistake of another newspaper, viz., the. Ararat Advertiser of the 21st inst. In giving the list of prizes for wines at the late Wimmera Agricultural. And Pastoral Society we are mentioned as having , taken 1 first, and 2 second prizes ; it should be, 3 first and 2 second , viz., 1st. for white of any age ; 1st for rod of any age ; 1st for white of 1869; 2nd for red of 1868 and 1869. We trust that you will be good enough to rectify the mistake, find oblige, TROUETTE AND BLANCPIED. Great Western, 31st August. Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935)Saturday 11 September 1869 - Page 7 Blancpied as signed.
• Awards: 26 Feb 1872, "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; At the Great Western, 10 miles from Stawell, Messrs Trouette and Blampied have 37 acres of vineyard, and their Chasselas and Burgundy, both in large local demand, have gained first prizes in Melbourne, Ballarat, and Geelong Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria", Monday 26 February, 1872
• Personal: 1873, Victoria parliamentary papers ; First Name: Mr Last Name: Blampied Description: Vigneron Year: 1873 Reference Number: Pages: 79, 94-105 State: Victoria Country: Australia Record set: Victoria parliamentary papers (Papers for the Colony of Victoria, 1852-1879 )
• Interests: 26 Feb 1873, Hamilton Spectator, Victoria; Wine on the Wimmera.- A member of the firm of Messrs. Tronette and Blampied, of St Peter?s Vineyard, Great Western, near Stawell is now on a business trip in these parts, with samples of the wine produced in that locality. We have before expressed the opinion that the climate and soil of some parts of the Wimmera were adapted to the production of a wine fully equal to the growths of. the Murray Valley, but we were scarcely prepared to find that such excellent wines were already produced as those we had the opportunity of examining. Upwards of dozen different samples were shown, and they were all of them good, sound wines, but the Burgundy and Reisling were especially remarkable as combining character, favour, body and character and bouquet the wines were four years old, and totally free from admixture of brandy. As the price asked is reasonable, a good business will be done, and we believe that should sufficient inducement offer, it is the intention of Messrs. Tronette and Blampied to open a depot here. The St Peter?s Vineyard is an extensive property, there being forty acres in full bearing, and a large stock in the cellars, so that a demand once created, there no fear of customers to obtain regular supplies when wanted. Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 - 1918)Wednesday 26 February 1873 - Page 2
• Awards: 17 Mar 1873, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; ARARAT AGRIGULTURAL SOCIETY. AUTUMN SHOW. (from our own correspondent.) A week of fine settled weather-something of an unusual occurrence this season brought a full list of exhibits and a large gathering of spectators at the autum show of the Ararat Agricultural Society on Friday. he fruit stands would have called for notice at a metropolitan show. Some of the grapes were magnificent as regards size and the symmetry of the bunches, but backward as to ripeness. Messrs. Trouette and Blampied's collection of 30 varieties of fruits, which carried off the silver medal, was as nearly perfect as could be looked for in a window in Covent Garden-30 dozen of pears, apples, peaches, plums,&c, without a blemish on the surface. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria,' Monday 17 March 1873
• Awards: 29 Mar 1873, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; WIMMERA DISTRICT PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY (FROM THE ARARAT ADVERTISER, MARCH 21 FRUITS &c.-(Judges-Messrs. Clarke, Thompson, and McEvoy) Apples (three varieties)-First prize- Trouette and Blampied, second prize T. Metcalf. Fruits-First prize- Trouette and Blampied, second second prize, T Metcalf, L. Metzgar highly commended. Collection of Wine Grapes-Prize Trouette and Blampied, L. Metzgar, hon. mention. WINES-. (Judges-Messrs. True, B. Smith, Aeschimann, Holbing, Bercich, and Dr. Sharpe.)- Red Wine (under two years of age)-First prize Trouette and Blampied, second prize L. Metzgar. White Wine (under two years of age)-First and second prizes Joseph Best. Red Wine (any age)-First prize' Trouette and Blampied, second prize Joseph Best. White Wine (any age)-First prize Joseph Best, second prize Trouette and Blampied. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 29 March 1873
• Awards: 14 Mar 1874, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; ARARAT AGRIGULTURAL SOCIETY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The autumn show of the Ararat Agricultural Society was held on Thursday, the 12th inst, at the town hall, Ararat, and resulted in a genuine success both for exhibitors and for the society. Fruit-(Judges Messrs. Thompson, Chapman, and Lowham)-Grapes,table, best six bunches white-First Prize R. Leslie,, second prize Stephen Young Grapes, best six bunches, red-First prize R. Leslie, second prize A W Lamont. Grapes, wine, best collection-Prize Trouette and Blampied. Grapes best 10lb, of one sort-First prize John Collie, second prize James Brimmer. Peaches-Prize, James Brimmer. Plums-Prize - Metcalf. Damsons Prize G W Thomson. Almonds-Prize - Metcalf. Walnuts-Prize John Crouch. Cob nuts-Prize Henry Clarke. Apples, table-first prize Trouette and Blampied, second prize J P Evans(14 exhibits.) Apples, baking-First prize Trouette and Blampied, second prize - Metcalf, hon mention Leonard Cl ark Pears-First prize G W Thomson, second prize, Trouette and Blampied, third prize W L Harricks. Oranges-Prize W. T. Paine (special commendation) Quinces-Prize Dawson and Lee. Best Collection of Fruit-Prize Trouette and Blampied. WINES-(Judges Messrs Krause Sharp, Swan, Lowe, and Hicks )- Full bodied red Wine, of any age-First prize Joseph Best, second prlze Henry Clarke. Light Red Wine of any age-First prize Joseph Best, second prize Trouette and Blampied. Red Wine, vintages 1872-1873 First prize, Trouette and Blampied. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria,"Saturday 14 March 1874
• Personal: 25 Mar 1875, Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria; The Pleasant Creek News reports.-The wine growers at the Great Western have every reason to be gratified with the prospects of a remunerative vintage. The unusual dryness of the season to some extent justified fears that the grapes would not attain to perfect maturity, but the heavy fall of rain some time since had a marked effect on the vines, and though the grapes of the younger plants are a little smaller than desirable, the total crop is fully up to the average. Wine making will be started next week at Messrs. Trouette and Blampied's vineyard. The extensive cellerage lately constructed by the firm is now completed, and affords accommodation for an immense quantity of wine, but is expected to be filled. Messrs. Trouette and Blampied intend forwarding samples of their produce to the great International Exhibition to be held at Philadelphia. As the firm was highly successful at the last great Exposition held at Vienna, there is every reason to hope that their wines will give a good account of themselves and the district when submitted to the judgment of our Yankee cousins. Transcribed from the "Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria," Thursday 25 March 1875
• Awards: 17 Aug 1876, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; THE STAWELL AGRIGULTURAL SHOW. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) STAWELL, FRIDAY. The weather to-day has been wet and unpleasant enough to have militated seriously against the attendance at the show in almost any other town than Stawell, but in spite of the rain visitors trooped in during the afternoon, so that financially the society must have done very well. -The season and the soil must both be favourable to the produce of vegetables, or so good a representation could not have been made as by Mr. Metcalfe, of Great Western, Messrs. Brown, Urquhart, and Macpherson. Mr. W. Thompson, the local seedaman, contributed complete collections of agricultural and horticultural seeds col lections of conifers in pots, and a number of plants in bloom, including camellias. From Mr. C. Ayrey, Warranooke, came some well coloured oranges, and from Messrs. Brierley and Wilson, of Eversley, a second dish; whilst peas of large size were shown by Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, of Great Western. The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 17 August 1878
• Drowning: 24 Aug 1876, Kilmore Free Press,Kilmore, Victoria; The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser reports that a distressing fatal accident occurred at Great Western on Saturday afternoon last, by which a fine little boy, son of Mr. Blampied, lost his life. An inquest was held on Sunday, but only one witness was examined, that being Mr. Blampied himself. He stated that he was in the stable with the deceased, when Mrs. Blanpied came in and told him it was time to dress to go to the funeral of a neighbor's child. Mr. Blampied at once went away, and, when ready to leave asked for the boy, receiving an answer that he was in the flower garden. Not finding him there, Mr. Blampied became alarmed, and a search was at once instituted. After a little time Mrs. Blampied found the child in the creek at that place about two feet deep. Every means was taken to resuscitate him, but ineffectually, as Dr. Syme, who was at once sent for, stated that life. was extinct long before his arrival. Transcribed from the "Kilmore Free Press,Kilmore, Victoria," Thursday 24 August 1876
• Awards: 17 Oct 1877, The Argus Melbourne, Victoria; THE NATIONAL SHOW AT STAWELL. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] (From our own correspondent.) STAWELL, Thursday. The judges to-day completed their adjudications upon the wine exhibits, the number and quality of which showed the importance attached to the prizes offered. For the champion prize, value £20, for the best collections of wines the produce of the colonies, three varieties of red and white, there were nine entries namely -Mr. Fletcher, Warrion Vineyard, Colac, James Kelman, Brankstone ; the South Australian Vineyard Association , A. Bruhn, Emu Creek, Sandhurst ; J. Best, Great Western ; Trouette and Blampied, Great Western ; and Louis Metzger, StawelL. The same parties also competed for the champion prize of £10, For the red wine there were several competitors, and in addition to those mentioned was J. Griffenbagen, from Sandhurst. In section one there were entries from the following -Messrs. Fletcher, Kelman, N.S W. ; Bruhn, A. Fox Griffenhagen, J, and H Best, Trouette and Blampied, Melzger,G A Smith (Wahgunyah), and F. Cnppahburn. In section two the same exhibitors competed, with the addition of Mr. C. T. Sutherland. In section three there were 11 exhibitors, consisting of those already mentioned, and Messrs. Brierly and Wilson, Eversley, near Ararat. In section four, also, there was a large collection of exhibits contributed by vignerons whose names are included in the above. The champion prize of £20 was carried off by Mensrs. Trouette and Blampied, who were the first to undertake the cultivation of the vine at Great Western. The following is the result of the judges. Aawards: CLASS N. Colonial Wines (Grown hy Exhibitor) -Champion Prize, £20-.Best Collection of Wines (the produce of the colonies) three varieties of red wine and three varieties of white wine-Trouette and Blampied, Great Western. Best six Bottles of Colonial Red Wine, over three years of age-First Louis Metzger, Concongella Creek. Best Six Bottles Colonial White Wine, under two years of age-First, Jas. Kelman: second, Trouette and Blampied. Transcribed from "The Argus Melbourne, Victoria,"Wednesday 17 October 1877 Next issue
• Awards: 13 Sep 1879, Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria; Bendigo Wines.-We learn from the Pleasant Creek News that the judging of the wine exhibits for the annual show of the Wimmera Pastoral and Agricultural Society has taken place. The exhibits sent in are stated to have been of a very excellent description. Mr. A. W. Fox, of the Emu Creek, carried off two first, and four second prizes, the remaining two First prizes falling to Messrs. Trouette aud Blampied, of St. Peter's Vineyard, Great Western. Mr. Fox's carbinet took the first prize of £3, for the best six bottles of red wines, three years of age and over, and his hermitage the second prize of £1, in the same section. For the best white wine, three years of age and over, Mesars. Trouette and Blampied's Hock took the first prize of £3, and Mr. Fox's Madeira obtained second prize of £1. For the best red wine, two years of age and under, Mr. Fox's hermitage took the first prize of £2, and his carbinet the second prize of £1. He also obtained with Reisling, the second prize of £1, for best white wine, two years of age aud under. Mr. Fox has been very successful at all the late shows at which he has exhibited. He obtained a silver medal at Kyneton, and both first prizes at Daylesfofd. At St. Arnaud he competed with the champion prize taker, of Stawell, and obtained gold medal. At Ballarat he obtained first and second prizes for white wines. Out of four prizes at Inglewood show, he obtained three. Ha carried away the second champion prize at the great National show at Geelong, and was also awarded a medal at Paris for two red wines. Mr. Fox must be credited with doing not a little to keep up tha good name of Bendigo as a wine producing district, and con- sidering the great adaptability of the Stawell district for winegrowing, it is certainly a feather in his cap to have taken so many prizes away from the local vignerons. Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria, Saturday, 13 September 1879
• Personal: 25 Dec 1879, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; We extract from the Pleasant Creek News the following account of the state of affairs in the district in which Mr Bests vineyard is situated - From one of the leading vignerons of Great Western we are in possession of some statistics, which serve to show that in our district, at all events, the wine producing industry is by no means falling off. There has been for many years past a gradual increase, and this year, both area under vines and total yeld of wine will be greater than ever. In round numbers it is thought that there are this year about 180 acres under vines, of which say 120 acres are in full bearing, The principal growers are of course the Messrs Best and Trouette and Blampied Mr J. Best may be said to have about 60 acres planted, and 40 acres in full bearing , Messrs Trouette and Blampied, 60 acres planted, and 33 yielding fully, while Mr H Best has 40 acres planted, and 25 bearing The balance is made up of small plantations of from 2 to 12 acres, the totals being as above stated. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria," Thursday 25 December 1879
• Interests: 25 Mar 1881, Jewish Herald, Victoria; SELECTED AUSTRALIAN WINES, Tronette and Blampied's Chablis, Sauterne, Reisling, Hock, Burgundy, Hermitage, Claret, &c., on sale in bulk or in one dozen cases at vineyard prices, by S. A. TUCKFIELD & Co., No. 35 and 36 Cellars, Now Eastern Market, Melbourne. Jewish Herald (Vic. : 1879 - 1920) Friday 25 March 1881 - Page 15
• Personal: 8 Apr 1881, Inangahua Times, New Zealand; NOTES ON A TRIP TO VICTORIA No. XVII: Stawell. Our last day in Stawell was spent in a way that could hardly be otherwise than congenial to the taste and predilections of West Coasters amongst the vineyards, and the reminiscences of that occasion will not soon be forgotten amongst many diverse experiences. Accepting the joint invitation of Mr Hunter, Mayor of Stawell, and Mr Ashman, Chairman of the Shire Council, we left the town at 3 p.m., and after a very pleasant cross country drive of some eight or ten miles reached the Great Western, the chief seat of vine culture of the western district, and were shown over the magnificent estate of Messrs Trouette and Blampied. Their grounds comprise some hundred acres nearly the whole of which is under cultivation, either as orchard or vineyard, and represents the labor and industry of twenty-two years. The soil is of a reddish color, and to look at it in natural state before the surface is broken, one could hardly imagine that it would grow even sorrel. It looks about as fertile as quartz tailings, and yet in this seeping hungry and sterile formation the grape vine thrives with amazing luxuriance, and this without manure, without water, or in fact any kind of artificial stimulants. The industry was started so long ago as 1858, and Messrs Trouette and Blampied then commenced with the cultivation of ten acres, and through successive years the estate has grown to its present dimensions. About fifteen hands are employed in tillage all the year around, and crop yields from 25,000 to 30,000 gallons yearly. Having strolled through the grounds, and been instructed into all the mysteries of grape growing up to the point where it possesses a special charm for West Coasters, namely, the production of the wine, we were next conducted to the cellar. This is a vast excavation under the main buildings, and possesses a storage capacity for something like 40,000 gallons. The wine is stored in huge oval-shaped casks or urns, each containing for 500 to 800 gallons, and some of these had been standing with their contents untouched for from 12 to 18 years. From here, we were shown over the rooms containing the machinery, and other appliances used in the treatment of the grapes, and having mastered the whole situation, so to speak, we were brought face to face with the meaning of true French hospitality, and the leviathan way in which we entered into the festivities, will no doubt be long remembered by our genial hosts. We partook of reislings of the vintage of 1859; burgundy of 1860; saturne of 1861; hermitage of 1862; claret of 1863; champagne of 1864; Hock of 1865; Chabler of 1866, and in final, we drank right down to 1880, and even anticipated quite, nine months of the current year before the establishment ran out of "sorts." In the bright lexicon of our youth, there was no such word as "full," and our hospitable entertainers appeared to be determined that there should not be in relation to the casks in the cellar. Never before was such a quantity of most excellent wine held together without hoops. Messrs Trouette and Blampied's wines, although only introduced to the Victorian public in 1879, are now as well known in the Australian market as Hennesy's brandy, and besides being prize winners, they are the holders of certificates of honorable mention from several wine competitions. Our next visit was to be the estate of Mr Joseph Best, whose vineyard is also situated at the Great Western. The grounds comprise an area of some fifty acres under vines. The grape crop would reach to about 25,000 gals. yearly. We were shown through the cellar, which contained 32,000 gallons of wine. The cellar occupies nearly an acre in extent and may be likened to a catacomb on a small scale. It is about 20ft from the surface, and the formation being a kind of rotten limestone, is excavated like so much cheese, but directly the cutting is made the action of the air upon it renders the stuff as hard and firm as bluestone, and to walk through these wide and deliciously cool subterranean galleries, and see the enormous cisterns of wine buried away in the honey-bomb workings, conveys to unfamiliar minds a very much extended conception of what it meant by the wine industry. Having made ourselves indebted to the genial proprietor for much kind hospitality, we turned homewards, dropping in by the way at the magnificent vineyard of Mr George Best, brother of the gentleman just named. Messrs Trouette, Blampeid, and Best, (J ) accompanied us thus far, and a repast having been extemporised with the kind offices of the obliging host, amongst other topics incidentally referred to was the possibility of a market being found on the West Coast for the Great Western wines, and as the outcome of that occasion, I have since learnt that it is very probable that an agent of the vignerons will shortly visit here in order to put the matter to the test. Transcribed from the "Inangahua Times, New Zealand," Volume II, 8 April 1881, Page 2
• Awards: 23 Apr 1881, Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria; THE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION WIINE AWARDS. VICTORIA. IV. Trouette and Blampied, Great Western, hock No. 1, 1875 Trouette and Blampied, Great Western. chablis No. 1, 1876 Trouette and Blampied, Great Western, reisling No. 1. 1876 Trouette and Blampied, Great Western-. reisling No. 1, 1875. Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria, Saturday 23 April 1881 (Condensed)
• Personal: 15 Nov 1881, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; ST PETER'S VINEYARD, Great Western. We beg to notify to our friends and customors that Mr JOHN WELBY is no longer authorised to act on our behalf. All accounts are to be paid direct to us Trouette and Blampied. November 14, 1881. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria," Tuesday 15 November 1881
• Personal: 8 Apr 1882, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; OUR VINTAGE, GREAT WESTERN VINEYARDS (Continued) (BY 0UR A6RICULTURAL REPORTER.) St Peter's Vineyard, the property of Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, is 55 acres in extent, being the largest in the Great Western district. The first vines were planted in 1863, and in 1866 Messrs. Trouette and Blampied gained a prize for wine at the Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition. This result not only encouraged the extension of St. Peter's Vineyard, but also caused other residents of the district to turn their attention to the wine producing interest, and it may be said that the history of the Great Western vineyards dates from the Intercolonial Exhibition of 1866. The area under vines was increased every season for several years until advancement was discouraged by the dull times which the wine-growing industry had afterwards to pass through. Prospects, however, have so much improved within the last year or two that planting has been carried out with increased vigour, and preparations are now being made for considerably enlarging the size of the vineyard. Messrs. Trouette and Blampied have provided a large underground cellar for the storage of their wines. Under the press room and other buildings connected with carrying on the wine and fruit business, a large oblong excavation has been made, the floors by which it is covered being supported by very strong redgum timber. In this underground cellar the large oak casks are arranged in rows, separated by narrow passages, and the storage room thus provided is sufficient for 85,000 gallons of wine. To provide a cellar of this size and casks to hold such a large quantity of wine absorbs a considerable amount of capital, but the outlay does not take place all at once, being increased from year to year as the vineyard is enlarged; and the expenditure is well repaid by the enhanced value obtainable for the matured wines. In addition to the other causes which militated against the success of our earlier efforts in wine-making, there was no doubt much injury done to the reputation of the wines by the practice of putting them upon the market in too new a condition. It is difficult for many vinegrowere to wholly avoid this mistake, but the evil consequences are becoming so well known that many of the vignerons are doing all they can to keep their stocks until the wine matures. Messrs. Trouette and Blampied make it a rule to sell no wine until it is three years old, while as much as possible is kept for a longer time. The quality of the wine is such as to commend it to those who purchase it, a fact which is demonstrated by a steady increase in the demand. No difficulty is experienced in finding purchasers, while much more than the vineyard produces could be easily disposed of. A portion of the wine is sold in bottles, and a portion in bnlk, the chief markets being the surrounding country towns and the metropolis. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 8 April 1882
• Personal: 5 Jun 1883, The Western Australian, Perth, WA; The Australian Wine Industry In France, every farmer almost devotes a few acres to planter la vigne with out dubbing them " vineyard." He makes his own wine, or sells his grapes to a neighbouring vigneron. Of other colonial vineyards lately brought into notice are those of Trouette and Blampied, in the Great Western District, 55 acres Transcribed from "The Western Australian, Perth, WA", Tuesday 5 June 1883
• Personal: 11 Dec 1885, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; Mr. Emile Blampied has been elected to fill the vacancy caused in the representation of the East Riding of the Shire of Stawell by the death of Mr. Jean Pierre Trouette. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria", Friday 11 December 1885
• Personal: 18 May 1886, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; THE VINTAGE IN THE GREAT WESTERN DISTRICT. (BY TELEGRAM FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) STAWELL, MONDAY. Mr Henry Best completed his vintage on Saturday, the vintage in the Great Western district being thus brought to a termination, as the other leading vignerons, Messrs. Trouette and Blampied and Joseph Best, finished some days earlier. The season has proved a most successful one, both for quantity and quality. The total quantity of wine made by the three vignerons named is estimated at about 15,000 gallons, which would have been very largely exceeded had not some 30 or 35 tons of grapes been sold in the market. The grapes brought a fair price and will prove scarcely less profitable, taking interest into account, than the wine. They were sold chiefly because the vintage promised to be so successful that the cellar accommodation at the disposal of the vignerons would have been in- sufficient. The dry and sandy soil such as that included in the district vineyards is shown by experience to promote such hardy growth that the dreaded scourge, phylloxera, may be defied. The growers whose areas under vines are smaller than the vignerons mentioned have been no less successful. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria", Tuesday 18 May 1886
• Awards: 19 Aug 1886, The Argus Melbourne, Victoria; Old Wine.-Red Wine full bodied-First Trouette and Blampied of St. Peter's. Second H Best. Red Wine light. First H Best; Second Trouette and Blampied. White Wine full bodied-First, Trouette and Blampied; second, H Best and G Skyrme equal. White Wine. light-First and champion, G Skyrme:second H Best. Transcribed from "The Argus Melbourne, Victoria,"Thursday 19 August 1886
• Interests: 24 Dec 1887, Advocate, Melbourne, Victoria; THE WIMMERA DISTRICT. GREAT WESTERN TO STAWELL. Great Western This little township, with its railway station and scattered rows of houses, half embowered in shady trees, would be of very little interest were it not for the large vineyards in its immediate vicinity. The two principal vineyards here are those of Messrs, Best and Trewette and Blampied. The latter contains 83 acres, including an orchard of seven acres. The cellar, when full, will hold 40,000 gallons. Mr Blampied, who is quite an adept in the art of viticulture, attends personally to his vineyard and to the manufacture of his wine. The result of this supervision in shown in the excellence of the wine, which enjoys quite a reputation in the district. I have met rival vignerons who declared that Blampied's wines were over-rated, but I set this 0pinion down as the outcome of professional jealousy, believing, with Dryden, that there are men, Who maliciously aspire to gain renown By standing up and pulling others down. Some of the wine is kept to a great age. I was shown samples that had been in the cellar for twenty years. The greater portion of the wine is, however, disposed of after a lapse of four or five years. Champagne was produced here some time ago, Burgandy grapes being used for the purpose. The manufacture of this particular wine was, however, abandoned, as the expense of preparing the grapes was found to be too great. Mr. Blampied possesses quite an assortment of medals and certificates, both colonial and foreign, gained at the different exhibitions for the excellence of his wine, and a large silver cup and service is kept as a memento of a visit from Sir George Bowen when he was Governor of the colony. Though Mr. Blampied need not dread competition in the art of wine-making, he would be quite willing to resign these functions and to attend exclusively to the cultivation of the grapes as they do in his native country (France). He considers that Australian wines suffer from the present arrangement, and that the character of the wines would be raised and all interested would be materially benefited by the formation of large companies in central places, such as Melbourne or Sandhurst, for the exclusive purpose of maturing and producing really good colonial wines. Mr. Blampied also considers that good light wine would long ere this have been a national beverage in the colonies were it not for the publicans, who sell the wine at exorbitant rates, and thereby give beer, though unsuited for the climate, the preference as the cheaper drink. He has the fullest confidence in the wine-producing capabilities of the colony, as the climate is all that could be desired and the periods of drought so dreaded by the farmer have no terrors for the vigneron, as the hardy vine will exist where almost every other form of vegetable life is impossible. Advocate (Melbourne, Vic. : 1868 - 1954) Saturday 24 December 1887 - Page 18
• Personal: 24 Dec 1887, Advocate, Melbourne, Victoria; THE WIMMERA DISTRICT. GREAT WESTERN TO STAWELL. (By our Travelling Correspondent.) GREAT WESTERN This little township, with its railway station and scattered rows of houses, half embowered in shady trees, would be of very little interest were it not for the large vineyards in its immediate vicinity. The two principal Vineyards are those of Messrs Best, Trewitt and Blampied. The latter contains 83 acres, including an orchard of seven acres. The cellar, when full, will hold 40,000 gallons. Mr. Blampied, who is quite adept in the art of viticulture, attends personally to his vineyard and to the manufacture of his wine. The result of this supervision is shown in the excellence of the wine, which enjoys quite a reputation in the district. I have not met rival vignerons who declared that Blampied's wines were over-rated but I set this opinion down the outcome of professional jealousy, believing with Dryden, that there are men who Maliciously aspire to gain renown By standing up and pulling others down. Some of the wine is kept to a great age. I was shown samples that had been in the cellar for twenty years. The greater portion of the wine is, however, disposed of after a lapse Of four or five years. Champagne was produced here some time ago. Burgundy grapes being used for the purpose. The manufacture of this particular wine was, however, abandoned, as the expense of preparing the grapes was found to be too great. Mr. Blampied possesses quite an assortment of medals and certificates, both colonial and foreign, gained at the different exhibitions for the excellence of his wine, and a large silver cup and service is kept as a memento of a visit from Sir George Bowen when he was Governor of the colony. Though Mr. Blampied need not dread competition in the art of wine-making, he would be quite willing to resign these functions and to attend exclusively to the cultivation of the grapes as they do in his native country (France). He considers that Australian wines suffer from the present arrangement, and that the character of the wines would be raised and all interested would be materially benefited by the formation of large companies in central places, such as Melbourne or Sandhurst, for the exclusive purpose of maturing and producing really good colonial wines. Mr. Blampied also considers that good light wine wines long ere this would have been a national beverage in the colonies were it not for the publicans, who sell the wine at exorbitant rates, and thereby give beer, though unsuited for the climate, the preference for the cheaper drink. He has the fullest confidence in the wine-producing capabilities of the colony, as the climate is all that could be desired, and the, periods of drought so dreaded by the farmer have no terrors for the vigneron, as the hardy vine will exist where almost every other form Of vegetable life is impossible. Advocate, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday, 24 December 1887
• Personal: 21 Jan 1888, The Argus Melbourne, Victoria; The following gentlemen have been apppointed a Board of Viticulture for the colony -Messrs Michael Kavanagh, Mooroopna, Alexander Caughey, Gooramadda, John Moore Highett, M L A., Mitiamo, Francis Mellor, Dunolly, Fredenck Bissse, Barnawarilla , Emile Blampied, Great Western , and Sir Archibald Michie, Melbourne Transcribed from "The Argus Melbourne, Victoria," Saturday 21 January 1888
• Interests: 3 Mar 1888, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, Victoria ; Vineyard Still Licenses.-Licenses to distil spirits to fortify wines have been granted to the following :-Mr Emile Blampied, St. Peter's Vineyard, Great Western; Mr Frederick Busse, Burrabunnia Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1918) Saturday 3 March 1888 - Page 2
• Personal: 29 Sep 1888, Australian Town and Country Journal; Mining Townships of Victoria. (FROM OUR REPORTERS.) STAWELL. Viticulture is becoming an important industry about Stawell. The climate and the soil appear to be well adapted for producing wines of delicate flavor. In 1866 there was only half an acre of vines planted, on the property of Messrs Trouette and Blampied, who had a market garden, at the Great Western. The owners, finding that they had too many grapes for consumption, resolved to make some wine, and Mr. Henry Best assisted at the vintage. He was so pleased with the results that he selected 320 acros of land and began operations by planting three acres, continuing to extend this until now there are forty acres of vines in the Concongella vineyard, with cellarage for about 40,000 gallons. There are also many smaller vineyards around the thriving little township at the Great Western. Transcribed from the "Australian Town and Country Journal," Saturday 29 September 1888
• Personal: 20 Apr 1889, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; Situated on both sides of the little water-course that runs down the valley is the vineyard of Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, known as the St. Peter's vineyard. In this vineyard, which is 80 acres in extent, the frost of November and the subsequent hail storm did much damage, the estimate being that there will be a reduction of fully 4,000 gallons of wine on the average yield. The wine from this vineyard is held in good estimation in the surrounding district, where the greater portion of it is consumed. In addition to the vineyard, there is a large quantity of fruit grown at St Peter's. The larger portion of the trees are apples, which I found produced remarkably fine fruit. Pears, plums, and many other European fruits are grown in this orchard, which find a ready sale in the surrounding district and in the sun-burned plains of the north-west. The other vineyards in this valley are of small extent. They consist of St George's, owned by Mr. G. Skryme; St Ethel's, owned by Mr. E. Headday; and Mr. E. Salinger's vineyard. All these vineyards suffered from the frost of November, and the yield will consequently not be up to the average. The work of making wine in this district has hitherto The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 20 April 1889
• Interests: 19 Mar 1890, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoris; THE GREAT WESTERN VINE-GROWING ASSOCIATION. By Wire. From Our Correspondent. STAWELL, Tuesday. The first half yearly meeting of the Great Western Vine Growers' Association took place at the Mechanics' Institute last evening, over 40 vine growers being present at the dinner. The chair was occupied by the president of the association, Mr. W. H. Irvine. Mr. Blampied spoke at length on the objects of the association and the development of the wine industry both in export and intercolonial trade. This was very satisfactory, all the more so because the industry, unlike so many others, owed little or nothing to Government aid. It was true that there was a Board of Viticulture, but so far it had done little good. They had employed an expert, and he (Mr. Blampied) was indebted to Signor Bragnto for many hints, but nothing had been heard of the various lectures which that gentleman was to have delivered before the present vintage. It was only by producing wine in quantities and of even quality that they could hope to induce buyers to enter upon a regular trade with them. They were aware of the proposed arrangement to take the district wine or a certain portion of it, and he hoped the plan would arrive at fruition and result in benefit to the district. He could not impress upon them too strongly the necessity for keeping down the temperature of their cellars. For many hints regarding this matter he was indebted to Mr. Seppelt, of South Australia. The best temperature was about 60 deg., but it should not exceed 75 deg. Another mattor which they should carefully study was the proper cleansing of casks, first by the use of caustic soda, and to remove traces of soda by sulphuric acid. Both soda and acid should be used in the proportion of 1 lb. to 5 gallons of water. He also warned them against the use of vinegar on the Cask. The Age (Melbourne. Vic: 1854-1954) Wed 19 Mar 1890
• Personal: 5 Apr 1890, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; THE VINE GROWING INDUSTRY. By Bruni THE GREAT WESTERN VINEYARDS. Though the vines Though the vines in the Great Western District have suffered from the long period of dry weather that has done so much mischief in the Western District, the field of grapes will nevertheless, be very little below the average, while the quality of the wine made will be equal to that in the very best season yet known. The cold wet spring retarded the growth of the Vines, and when summer set in there followed a period of nearly four months' duration, in which scarcely any rain fell. That the crop should be a good one under such extremely unfavourable circumstances shows how well fitted this district is for wine production While the wet lasted it was difficult to work and after the dry hot weather set in on most of the higher land became almost hard as brick. Under these circumstances, the vignerons could not make their vineyards as neat as they wished, and in many places the surface between the rows of vines is rougher than they like it to be. As a rule, the vineyards in the Great Western District are free of weeds, and the vines everywhere present a very healthy appearance. At the Great Western Vineyard the vintage is now in full swing. The proprietor, Mr. Hans W. Irvine, estimates the crop at about 250 gallons to the acre. On the lower lands the vines present a most attractive appearance. Notwithstanding the drought, they have a luxuriant growth, and as they are not tied to the stakes, their branches often completely cover all the intervening space between the rows. The grapes are large and full of juice. Many an acre in this part of the vineyard could be picked that would give an exceptional yield On the hillside the drought has told somewhat severely on the crop , which will be light, but the quality of the wine made from the hillside vines is expected to be very fine. About half the grapes had been gathered when I visited Mr. Irvine's vineyard, and the work was being pushed on expeditiously, to take advantage of the fine weather. A shower of rain would not hurt the grapes much, but Mr. Irvine is of opinion that it the crop can be gathered without rain the produce will be all the better. The upper cellar presented a very busy scene, with all the process of wine-making in full progress. There is one thing for which Mr. Irvine is a great stickler, and that is perfect cleanliness. Everything in use in making wine is kept critically clean. The presses, grape mills, tubs, &c., are washed every night, and sometimes again in the morning. The consequence is, that the place has not that stickiness to which all dirt clings, which is generally believed to be inseparable from the process of wine-making. Water has been so freely used in washing the vessels that, although the cisterns for holding rain water are of great size, they have run dry, and a supply has to be carted every day from the village of Great Western. With everything about the place kept sweet and clean, the wine cannot take up any odour that will tend to reduce its value in the eyes of connoisseurs. It was the quality of the wine made in this vineyard by the late Mr. Best that first brought the district into notice, and in Mr. Irvine's careful hands there is every indication that the old reputation of the vineyard will be not only maintained but enhanced. The cellar is ever a great attraction to the visitor to the Great Western Vineyard. Not for the matured and well-managed wines that are stored therein, but for the originality of its construction and its suitableness for the purpose for which it was made. From the bottom of a shaft, to which there is an easy descent, drives are ran in every direction, and cross drives give a connection and promote a circulation of air. In one place there is a shaft from the surface giving a good current of air; but this was not enough for Mr. Irvine, and he has pat down bores from the surface to tap the end of each drive. These small openings, which are covered with perforated iron nail-cans at the surface, answer the purpose remarkably well; and I noticed in a walk through the cellar that there was not the slightest feeling of closeness in the atmosphere, and that it was dry and sweet. In each niche throughout the long drives there is a full cask of wine, while in side drives are stacks of bottled wine, some of it over twelve years of age. Throughout the cellar there is no sign of rock, but the soil, which I have been told consists of decomposed granite, is as firm as the day the drives were excavated. Though I watched closely, I did not detect the slightest sign of a crack in any part of the drives. From the Great Western Vineyard a short drive brought us to the St. Peter's Vineyard, the property of Messrs. Trouette and Blampied. On the way we passed through the diminutive hamlet of Great Western. Why it received its ridiculous name I cannot say, but as the district promises in the near future to become famous for wine and fruit, it is surely advisable to give it a better name. The native name of the watercourse on which it is situated is Concongella, and, unless Mr. H. Best should object, this I think would be a much better name than the present absurd one. I found Mr. Blampied busy with the vintage, and his estimate of the crop was about the same as that of Mr. Irvine. Here I saw the skins of the white grapes being packed away tightly in old casks, and on inquiry found it was for the purpose of pig-feeding. The skins of the white grapes retain a deal of nutriment after being put through the press, and they make excellent pig-teed. Pigs fed on these skins fatten rapidly, and the flavour of their bacon is excellent, and quite different to that from pigs fed in the ordinary way. I found the plan of storing the white grape skins is generally practised throughout this district Messrs. Trouette and Blampied have been for many years famed throughout the district for the excellence of their fruits. Hitherto they have grown large quantities, but this year they have scarcely sent any away. The season was so bad that nearly all kinds of fruits failed, and where they used to draw a good income, this year they made a loss. Along the banks of the creek there are several rows of fine quince trees, which usually present a magnificent appearance at this time of year, when they are loaded with golden, tinted fruit. At present there is scarcely a quince to be seen. It is realized, however, that the season has been an exceptional one, and that such another might not occur in the next quarter of a century. Acting on this opinion, Messrs. Trouette and Blampied are increasing their area under fruit trees. A square of about a dozen acres was planted last year, and the young trees are looking remarkably well. I was surprised to find that fully two-thirds of the trees were cherries. The fruit grows splendidly in the little valley through which the Concongella Creek runs. Peaches and apples yield excellent fruit in good seasons. In my trip I noticed several small plantations of young trees, and though the season has been against them, everywhere there were an excellent growth. Mr. Skryme, of St. George's Vineyard, has a very fine crop of grapes this season, and he expects the yield will be equal to the highest of previous seasons. Mr. H, Best, of Concongella Vineyard, has a fair average crop. He is making considerable additions to the steading in the way of cellar accommodation and in storage capacity for young wine. The most noticeable of these improvements is an underground tank, having a capacity of 12,000 gallons. It is egg-shaped, strongly built, and cemented on the inside. There is a second tank of 4,000 gallons capacity. These tanks will be used for storing the young wine for a short time after it is made; it will then be pumped into casks in the cellar. Daring the winter the tanks will be used for storing water. All the work about this steading is marked by neatness of finish and strength. Mr. Best plans the work himself, and executes the greater portion with his own hands. Notwithstanding a very trying season, the vintage throughout the little valley of the Great Western will be nearly if not quite up to the average, and from the tests to which the must has been subjected, the quality of the wine promises to be superior to the average produce of the district There is an evident awakening in the district to the natural capacities it possesses of producing wine of the highest quality, and on this subject, I propose to make some remarks in a future article The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 5 April 1890
• Interests: 31 May 1890, Leader, Melbourne, Victoria; AMONGST THE GREAT WESTERN VINEYARDS. Bt St. Clair. Recently the Viticultural Board visited the Great Western district, and made their annual inspection of their principal vineyards there. On arriving at Great Western we found a trap waiting for us at the station, and were driven in the first place to the residence of the proprietors of St. Peter?s vineyard, where we were most hospitably welcomed by Mrs. Trouette, although it proved afterwards that our visit was a complete "surprise party." Our hostess cordially invited us to make this our headquarters during our stay in Great Western, but as we were expected elsewhere only half of our party could accept the kind invitation, I among the number. The others were driven to St. George's vineyard, about a mile distant, where Mr. and Mrs. Skyrme received them with that hospitality for which the Great Western is deservedly famous. St. Peter's vineyard is the joint property of Madame Trouette and her brother, Mr. Blampied. The homestead consists of several weatherboard buildings, the original structure having been added to as necessity required. The cellerage capacity of St, Peter's is about 40,000 gallons, and the area under vines and fruit trees is at present 85 acres. The vineyard lies on both sides of Concongella Creek, which just now is all but dried up portion of it is in flat ground, but the greater acreage is on rising ground on the north side of the creek. The soil throughout is very light, and on the hill is gravelly. Mr. Caughey, the well known vigneron of Ruutherglen, and Mr. F. de Castella, son of the founder of St. Hubert's vineyard, who were with us, were greatly struck with tho poorness of tho soil here as compared with that of the vineyards of their respective districts, and argued therefrom the absolute necessity for appointing experts who have a practical knowledge of the requirements of the various vine growing districts. Mr. Blampied stated that every year he gained experience as to the kind of vines which were suited to the soil, and had he been able to procure export information he would have saved a great deal of time, trouble and expense which his experiments had put him to. The vines on the flat yielded heavier, crops than those planted on the hill, but the quality of the latter was much better. After having been taken through the vineyard we were shown the orchard, the trees of which principally consist of apples, pears, cherries and quinces. They all seemed very healthy. Mr. Blampied values his fruit industry greatly, and he showed us an area of cherry trees from which last year he reaped an average of 30s. per tree, and one tree he pointed out yielded £3 10s, worth of fruit. All his fruit was sold locally, too, none of it being sent to Melbourne. We concluded our inspection by examining the cellars, vats, prosses and all the appliances which are necessary for the production of first class wines. In our rambles we came across a pump Mr. Blampied had purchased in Geelong, and which bore the reputation of having been used in draining the trenches before Sebastapol. Previous to its present owner getting possession of it, it had been used as an adjunct to one of the fire engines at the Pivot, It's a long jump from Sebaststapol to Geolong ! The following little sketch of St. Peter's vineyard is interesting, as it is really the history of the genesis of vine growing in Great Western. I am indebted for my information to the courtesy of Madame Trouette. Madame Trouette and her husband came to Great Western in 1858 during the days of the gold fever, soon after which the rush proved a failure. Then M. Trouette looked about for some land to settle on, but had the greatest difficulty in getting any, as it was all in the auriferous area. He conceived the idea of trying vine planting, as the soil resembled that of his native land, where the vine was cultivated with success. Despite every obstacle placed in his way by the jealousy of the miners, he at last succeeded in getting a very small block through the imtsrumentality of the then Minister of Mines, who was a local member and said he would "chance it" and take the risk of being "hauled over the coals" by the mining members in Parliament. So in 1863 he planted his first vines. They proved a success, and then by degrees he acquired a little more land, which he laid out in vines in like manner. Year by year he persevered until complete success crowned his efforts, and before he died, a few years ago he had the satisfaction of seeing Great Western the centre of a thriving wine producing district. Seeing the success of his neighbor, the late Mr Joseph Best, who carried on a slaughtering business, established the now celebrated Great Western vineyard, and his example was followed in turn by his brother, Mr. H. Best, and Mr. G. Skryms. All these men met with the same difficulty the late M. Trouette encountered in getting land, but like him they surmounted it. It is to men like those that the colony should do honor. How many young Australians know the true history of their native land, that land of which they are all so deservedly proud? After wo had completed our tour bf inspection, and had regaled ourselves, with choice samples from St. Peter's cellars, we were driven by Mr. Blampied to the Great Western vineyard, where Mr. and Mrs. Irvine welcomed us heartily. Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935)Saturday 31 May 1890 - Page 11
• Personal: 9 Feb 1891, Bendigo Advertise, Victoria; Board of Viticulture.The Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, has been pleased to appoint the gentlemen named hereunder as the Board of Viticulture, protem for the colony of Victoria: Francis Busse, Barnawartba; Emile Blampied, Great Western;-. Bendigo Advertise, Victoria, Monday 9 February 1891
• Personal: 11 Apr 1891, The Australasian,Melbourne, Victoria; SPLENDID VINEYARD PROPERTY. RYAN and BOND have been instructed to sell privately, the well-known ST. PETER'S VINEYARD GREAT WESTERN, Consisting of 247 acres of freehold land, 80 acres of which are planted with superior vines and 15 acres with fruit trees. The property is well improved, and with it is offered every requisite for conduct of a large wine and fruit industry. It is situated close to the Great Western railway station. Fuller particulars and terms on application to RYAN and BOND, auctioneers, Nhill; or Messrs. GREIG and MURRAY LIMITED Queen street, Melbourne. The Australasian,Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 11 April 1891
• Personal: 12 Dec 1891, Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria; A TRIP TO THE VINEYARDS IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT. A few days ago a party of gentlemen (in cluding Mr. T. Craike, of Axe Creek; Mr. G. Pieper, of Emu Creek, and Mr. Davis, of Melbourne) left Benidigo Jon a holiday trip, their intention being to. visit the principal vineyards in the Great Western district. On arrival at the Great Western station, on the Ararat and. Stawell line, they were met by Mr. Blampied, of the firm of Messrs. Trouewette and Blampied, who kindly drove the visitors round.to the vineyards of that firm, as well as Messrs Irvine, H. Best, Skyrme and others. The party was most hospitably entertained at every place they visited, but it is only right to mention particularly the attention paid them by Mr. Blampied. The visitors expressed themselves as being very much pleased with the manner of'cultivation and general appearance of the vineyards. The most of the cultivation in the district is done by the plough. The wines, I which are of a distinctive character from those produced here were of excellent quality, especially the claret, which is certain in the course of time to make a name for itself in the market. The nature of the country is sandy on a clay bottom, in which the vines and other, fruit trees luxuriate splendidly. The visitors met Mr, Irvine, who had just returned from a trip to the old country, and that gentlemen expressed the opinion that Australian wines on the home market had nothing to fear from wines of the same sort produced in other countries. At Mr. Irvines' vineyard there is a cellar 30 feet deep and extensive arrangements have been made for the manufacture of colonial champagne. Transcribed from the "Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria," Saturday 12 December 1891
• Interests: 30 Apr 1892, Leader, Melbourne, Victoria; AMONG THE VINEYARDS. By Our Agricultural porter. THE GREAT WESTERN VINTAGE. The district of Great Western, lying between Ararat and Stawell, presents on every hand evidences of progressive prosperity. For many years the place wore the hopeless aspect of a worked out mining district. Neither the ?reefs? of Pleasant Creek nor the ?leads? of Ararat extended to Great Western, so that with soil in the vicinity neither good for grazing nor cultivation, it seemed that this little township, which prospecting claims had brought into existence on Concongella Creek, seemed destined to dwindle away into oblivion. Before hope in mining had quite died out, however, the late Mr. J. P. Trouette, the late Mr. Joseph Best, Mr. Blampied and one or two others had commenced the planting of vines, and now the district has a firmly established prosperity, based upon the wine and fruit producing industries. At first the discouragements had to be borne which the wine growing industry in general met with, but there has been continuous, if somewhat slow, progress. The fluctuations have not been so marked as in the case of the Murray or Bendigo districts. The ?wine boom? which followed the International Exhibition of 1880 scarcely touched the Great Western district, nor have the subsequent periods of temporary depression been so severely felt as in the larger wine growing areas. Owing to the fact that ?the boom? did not tempt the producers in this district to sell their young wines, the system of putting a well matured article upon the market has not been departed from, and the result is the high reputation which the Great Western wines now enjoy. Five years ago the cellars of this district wore stocked with old wine of excellent quality, and what was wanted in order to open up a fresh era of progress was a means of bringing the wine under public notice. The excellent men who had carried on the industry so far had devoted their attention rather to cultivating their vineyards and perfecting their methods of treating the wine, than to advertising and finding markets. At this time the district had the good fortune to attract the attention of Mr. W. H. Irvine, a gentleman whose business ability was well calculated to bring the Great Western wines under public notice. Purchasing the late Mr. Joseph Best?s Great Western Vineyard, with its large cellar of old wine, Mr. Irvine at once entered upon that enterprising career which has done so much to place the wine producing industry of this locality in its present satisfactory position. The merits of the wine were soon acknowledged by a wider circle of consumers, and the certainty of securing a remunerative market for a large output encouraged the planting of new vineyards and the extension of old ones. The enlargement of cellars, the building of new ones, and the planting of vines on every hand are now the leading features of the district, a state of things which is reflected in the improving appearance of the township close to the railway station. The soil has been referred to as poor, and it is so from the ordinary agricultural point of view. A light sandy loom, although possessing a good clay subsoil, offered no prospect of success to the grain grower, but it was thought by some that hay might be grown upon it for the local markets of Stawell and Ararat. It was soon found that this business could not be carried on at a profit, and grazing upon such country could only be carried on by holders of large areas. This soil, so worthless to the ordinary farmer, turned out to be specially valuable to the grower of fruit trees and vinos. The subsoil is rich in the plant food required by the deep roots of trees and vines, and the poor surface soil acts as an excellent covering to keep in the moisture. The surface soil is so poor that it does not readily produce weeds, so that the vine grower derives the advantage of inexpensive cultivation; while the covering, which checks evaporation of moisture from the subsoil, also as a reflector to direct heat on to the ripening fruit. The rainfall is moderate, as the district is in line with the trend of the Dividing Range, and owing to the elevation of the position the temperature is favourable to the production of a wine of medium strength. Most of the wine contains from 20 to 24 per cent, proof spirit, so that they are to be classed more with the vintages of Bendigo, Dunolly and Tahbilk than those of the Murray Valley. In flavour and bouquet the wines are excellent, and the yields heavier and more reliable than in some other parts of the colony. In some of the vineyards on the flats near the Concongella Creek a yield of 400 gallons an acre is frequently obtained, but 200 gallons is considered a good yield on the sides of the hills, while a better quality compensates for the lighter returns on the higher land. A yield of 250 gallons may be considered the general average of the district. The market price of the wine has risen during recent years, and it is still rising. The vignerons who sell in bottle now sell more at 36s. per dozen than at lower rates, and as high as 60s. has been obtained for special lots. The ordinary price for 2-year-old wine in bulk are from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per gallon, and wine in the cellar, 6 months old, is worth 1s. 6d. per gallon. It is not surprising that these prices arc leading to extensive planting, while, the fact that progress has boon slower in the past may be accounted for by the adoption of an expensive system of working. The vineyards wore small and the methods of wine making necessitated the employment of much labour. Under such circumstances high prices wore necessary to givn a profit to the producers. It is only recently that the vineyards have been enlarged, while the adoption of labour saving methods of working are only now being introduced. Mr. George Scryme?s St. George?s Vineyard has been enlarged to 40 acres, 30 acres of which are in bearing, and an addition is to be made this season. Since last vintage a large new cellar has been provided, and the design of this establishment is such that vintage work and the handling of wine will in future be carried on under modern labor saving arrangements. The cellar, which is 65 feet long by 24 feet wide, has been excavated in the side of a hill, so that while the basement floor is under ground, drays or wagons can approach the lower level to take away wine. The cellar, which has a floor of cement concrete, is provided with brick walls, which are carried up above the surface, thus providing an over ground apartment equal in size to the cellar, which above this is a loft. The second floor being on a level with the upper surface of the sloping site, the conditions are highly favourable for carrying on vintage and cellar work. The Great Western Vineyard, now the property of Mr. W. H. Irvine, has been rapidly extended from the 50 acres of the late Mr. Joseph Best to 150 acres, and about 30 acrcs of ground have been prepared for planting this season. Mr. Irvine's champagne making business was dealt with in my last week?s report. It remains only to be mentioned that in this vineyard good results have been obtained from the use of manures. About 6 tons of the potash manure kanite and 2 tons of Fish?s fertiliser are used with satisfactory effect. Messrs. Trouette and Blampied?s St. Peter?s Vineyard has been enlarged until it is now 90 acres in extent, and the yields are much better than they were some years ago, a less exhaustive method of cultivating the vines having been adopted. Portions of the vineyard are on the flats near the creek and portion on a hill side, and the varieties of yield and quality already referred to are favourable to the securing of satisfactory returns of excellent wine. Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935) Saturday 30 April 1892 - Page 7
• Interests: 11 Mar 1893, The Millicent Times, South Australia; THE Government Entomologist, Mr. French, has issued a very exhaustive treatise on the "Destructive Insects of Victoria." The list of noxious bugs and moths and beetles is a very long and formidable one, and includes the Wooly Ashis, or American blight, the Codlining moth, curved winged apple moth, apple tree borer, the brown apple moth, apple root borer, apple bark scale, apple beetle, harlequin fruit bug, red spider, pear and cherry slug, the Rutherglen fly pest, cherry borer, pear phyloptus, and other insects with unpronounceable names and rerre? ensiblehabits. Dozens of remedies, liable and otherwise, are mentioned, from a cheap solution of sulphate of iron to the most expensive germicide and spray pump. The best results have been secured from recent introductions named par oidum and orphan oil, which have been found to be peculiarly adapted for the destruction of all fruit and plant parasites; and have been used with gratifying effects on diseased vines and peach trees. Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, of Great Western, the proprietors of Bellevue Vineyard, Mr. Gehrig, of Barnawatha, and numbers of other vignerons and fruit growers state their absolute faith in these new germicides. Fruit growing in Australia has been largely hampered by the absence of protection against destructive insects, and a radical cure was earnestly desired. The Millicent Times (SA : 1891 - 1905) Saturday 11 March 1893 - Page 2 Bellevue Vineyard-Louis Metzger ________________________________________
• Interests: 2 Apr 1893, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; The most successful attempt at making sparkling wine in Victoria that I know of was that of Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, of St. Peter's Vineyard, Great Western. About twenty years ago they made a small quantity of Sparkling wine, principally for their own use, that turned out remarkably well. The effervescent quality was not very highly developed, but the flavour of the wine was excellent. I have tasted this wine, and can endorse all the good things that have been said of it, In character it was something of a Moselle, but with a strong individuality of its own. When Mr. Hans W. H. Irvine purchased the Great Western Vineyard he tasted and greatly admired the sparkling wine at St. Peter?s Vineyard, and this doubtless set him thinking of going into the business on a large scale. The Great Western wines have been noted for many years for their brightness, flavour, and bouquet, qualities that are in dispensable in a sparkling wine. From thinking over a matter to putting it into practice is but a very short step with a man of so much energy as Mr. Irvine. His first experiment in making sparkling wine was in 1888, and with somewhat erode appliances the results were so satisfactory that he decided to enter into the manufacture on a large scale. The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946)Saturday 22 April 1893 - Page 6
• Personal: 22 Apr 1893, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; GREAT WESTERN SPARKLING WINE. By Bruni. AN IMPORTANT AND SUCCESSFUL INDUSTRY. Though the first settlers in Victoria did not hail from a wine-producing land, it was not long ere the adaptability of the soil and climate of this country for the purposes of the viticulturist attracted their attention. Many of the early settlers planted the vine, and some made wine. It was probably of a very indifferent quality, but there was some thing in its character that led a few enterprising men to carry on the industry. Most people who in those days studied the question of wine-making in Victoria seemed to have arrived at the conclusion that sparkling wines would one day be a great industry in this colony. How many attempts were made in this direction I cannot tell, but they must have been very numerous. Owing to want of knowledge in the business, and the absence of almost all the necessary conveniences for successfully carrying on the manufacture, these attempts failed, or were not sufficiently promising to induce those who made the attempt to embark further in the venture. The most successful attempt at making sparkling wine in Victoria that I know of was that of Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, of St. Peter's Vineyard, Great Western. About twenty years ago they made a small quantity of Sparkling wine, principally for their own use, that turned out remarkably well. The effervescent quality was not very highly developed, but the flavour of the wine was excellent. I have tasted this wine, and can endorse all the good things that have been said of it, In character it was something of a Moselle, but with a strong individuality of its own. When Mr. Hans W. H. Irvine purchased the Great Western Vineyard he tasted and greatly admired the sparkling wine at St. Peter's Vineyard, and this doubtless set him thinking of going into the business on a large scale. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 22 April 1893
• Personal: 15 Aug 1893, Bendigo Advertise, Victoria; CORRESPONDENCE.-From Bendigo Agricul tural Society, soliciting a donation towards the spring show. On the motion of Mr. Craike, the sum of £5 was voted, the same to be competed for only by members of the association. From the same, requesting the association to nominate three gentlemen to act as judges of the wine exhibits in connection with the spring show. It was decided to recommend the appointment of Messrs. Deppler (Goelong), Blampied (Great Western) Bendigo Advertise, Victoria, Tuesday 15 August 1893
• Personal: 8 Apr 1895, Launceston Examiner,Tasmania; VICTORIAN VINEYARDS. LONDON, APRIL 5. A company is projected in London to take over the profitable vineyards at Great Western, situated between Ararat and Pleasant Creek in Victoria. There are several extensive vineyards in the Great Western district, the prin cipal being those planted by Mr Best and Messrs Trouette and Blampied early in the seventies. The produce of these vineyards has long been considered some of the best quality wines produced in Victoria. Transcribed from the "Launceston Examiner,Tasmania, Monday 8 April 1895
• Personal: 5 Feb 1896, South Australian Register, Adeliade, SA; The grape crop in the Wimmera this season will be very satisfactory notwithstanding the severe hot weather experienced of late, the yield in several vinevards being verv heavy. Mr. Blampied, Manager of Mr. W. R. Maddren's vineyard, expressed himself as very hopeful of the future of the Wimmera as a grape-producing country. He advises owners of vineyards to pick their grapes early, as if they are left until too ripe the tendency in a hot district like this would give the wine a burnt flavour. Transcribed from the "South Australian Register, Adeliade, SA", Wednesday, 5 February 1896.
• Personal: 28 Apr 1897, South Australian Register, Adeliade, SA; Mr. James R. Fry, of Summerton Farm, near Nhill, is going in for winemaking on an extensive scale. Ho has about 2,000 gallons maturing in his cellars. Mr. W. K. Maddern, Nhill, has also a large quantity in his cellars, and the winemaking is under the supervision of Mr. Blampied, the well-known winemaker, late of Great Western, near Stawell. Mr. Blampied states that the yield at Mr. Fry's vineyard is one of the largest he has seen in Victoria. Transcribed from the "South Australian Register, Adeliade, SA", Wednesday, 28 April 1897
• Personal: 28 Apr 1897, South Australian Register, Adeliade, SA; Mr. James R. Fry, of Summerton Farm, near Nhill, is going in for winemaking on an extensive scale. Ho has about 2,000 gallons maturing in his cellars. Mr. W. K. Maddern, Nhill, has also a large quantity in his cellars, and the winemaking is under the supervision of Mr. Blampied, the well-known winemaker, late of Great Western, near Stawell. Mr. Blampied states that the yield at Mr. Fry's vineyard is one of the largest he has seen in Victoria. Transcribed from the "South Australian Register, Adeliade, SA", Wednesday, 28 April 1897
• Personal: 7 Dec 1897, The Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania; NHILL, December 3. The vignerons of the district suffered very severely from the late tornado. Nearly every vineyard struck had the vines completely stripped. Dr. Ryan expected to make nearly 7,000 gallons of wine, but now he will have nothing. Messrs. Fry Bros., Maddern, and Blampied suffered similarly, and many others In a lesser degree. Orchards have also been considerably damaged. Transcribed from "The Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania", Tuesday, 7 December 1897
• Awards: 18 Oct 1898, The Horsham Times, Victoria; THE NHILL SHOW. The fifteenth annual show of the Nhill A. and P. Society was held on Friday. The weather was beautifully fine, though the south wind that pleasantly tempered the heat of the sun made it uncomfortably dusty. About £75 were taken at the gates, and some 2000 people, including visitors from Ararat, Horsham, Dimboola, Ballarat and Kaniva, were present. The entries were numerous, some 200 more than the previous year. (Vintage of 1897.) White wine (dry)--C. A. F. Gladigau, 1; E. Blampied, 2. White wine (sweet)-E. Blampied, specially good. - Dark Wine (dry)-E. Blampied, 1 and 2. Dark wine (sweet)-E. Blampied. (Vintage of-1898.) White. Wine--E. Blampied, 1; Geo. Batson, 2. White wine-E. Blampied, specially mentioned, 1; Dark wine-Geo. Batson, 1 , C. A. F. Gladigau; 2. Dasrk wine-E. Blampied, 1; C. A. F. Gladigau, 2. ? Transcribed from "The Horsham Times, Victoria", Tuesday, 18 October 1898
• Personal: 23 May 1899, The Horsham Times,Victoria; Mr. E. Blampied, of Nhill, is seriously ill with asthma and bronchitis. Transcribed from "The Horsham Times,Victoria", Tuesday 23 May 1899
• Personal: 18 Aug 1899, The Horsham Times, Victoria; GAZETTE EXTRACTS. Applications for. Leases approved. J. Bullus (exors. of), 949 3r 25p, Balrootan ; E. J. Collins, 197a 3r 23p, Woorak; C. Lane, 292 Ir 33p, Darragan ; W. C. Baudinette, 69a 3r Ip, Ganoo Ganoo. Transfers of Leases Registered. W. J. Cross to T, Philip, 175a 3r 24p, 260a Or 22p, Carchap ; Mary Rutherford to -E. Blampied, 86a 3r 7p, Balrootan Transcribed from "The Horsham Times, Victoria," Friday 18 August 1899
• Sale: 12 Jul 1911, The Ballarat Star , Victoris; ARARAT. SALE OF A VINEYARD. St. Peter's vineyard and orchard, one of the oldest and first planted at Great Western, has changed hands, Mr James Tiller being the, purchaser. This property was originally owned by Messrs Trouette and Blampicd, and became famous, the proprietors holding a harvest home every year, when visitors from Ballarat, and. miles around gathered at the festive board. On the death of Mr Trouette the property was disposed of to ex-Councillor. Murton, J. P. who held it up to the present time. The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924) Saturday 22 July 1911 - Page 1
• Personal: 10 Jul 1914, Nhill Free Press , Victoria; Mr Emile Blampied, an old and respected resident of Kelly Town is at present ill with an attack of pneumonia. Upon latest inquiry last night his condition was stated to be serious. Transcribed from Nhill Free Press , Victoria, Friday 10 July 1914
• Death Notice: 15 Jul 1914, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; BLAMPIED.-On the 10th July, at his residence, St. Joseph's, Nhill, Emile Pierre, the beloved husband of Marie Louise Blampied, aged 77 years (formerly of Great Western). R.I.P. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria, Wednesday 15 July 1914"
• Death Notice: 15 Jul 1914, The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria; NHILL.-Emile Blampied, an old resident of the district, aged 77 years has died at his residence after a brief illness. Deceased, before coming to Nhill was a leading viticulturist at Great Western and it one time was president of the Shire of Stawell Transcribed from "The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria" Wednesday 15 July 1914
• Obituary: 16 Jul 1914, Stawell News and Pleasant Creek Chronicle, Victoria; MR. EMILE BLAMPIED At Nhill on Friday last passed away a former Stawell resident in the person of Mr Emile Blampied, after a brief illness. The deceased who was 77 years of age, came to this State in 1853, by the "Emma Goodwin" from France, and after a couple of years spent in the gold diggings he settled in Great Western, and will be remembered as one of the firm of Truett and Blampied in the viticultural industry, for which the district has since become famous. He was at one time a member of the Stawell Shire Council, and has filled the president's chair. After leaving the Western, where he resided for 40 years, he made his way to Nhill, and during his residence of 2O years in that district he made many staunch friends. In 1873 he married the daughter of Louis Metzger, of Doctor's Creek, Stawell, and she with five sons and five daughters survives him. Deep sympathy will be felt for the great loss to the family. His remains were interred in the Nhill Cemetery, the funeral service being conducted by Rev Father Jones, of St Patrick's, Nhill. Stawell News and Pleasant Creek Chronicle, Victoria, Thursday 16 July 1914 OBITUARY Sympathy was expressed for Mrs. Chas. Atherton when it became known that she had been called away to Nhill owing to the death of her father, Mr. Emile Blampied on the 10th inst. The following extract from the obituary column of the Nhill Free Press is interesting:-"The many friends of Mr. Emile Blampied will regret to hear of his death, which occurred on Friday last after an illness of only a few days. He had reached the age of 77 years, 61 of which were spent in this State. A native of France, he arrived here in the "Emma Goodwin" in 1853 with his sister, being attracted to Victoria by the sensational gold discoveries of the period. After a couple of years spent on the diggings he settled at Great Western, where he pioneered the viticultural industry, which has since grown to such dimensions in the State. For many years a member and for a term, president of the Shire of Stawell, he took active participation in all movements for the welfare and advancement of the district. After 40 years residence there he came to Nhill 20 years ago, where although leading a retired life, he made many friends by his genial and kindly disposition. In 1S73 he married Louise, the eldest daughter of Louis Nutgzer, of Stawell, who survives him with a family of five sons and five daughters. Deep sympathy is felt for the family in their bereavement." Walhalla Chronicle and Moondarra Advertiser, Victoria, Friday 24 July 1914
• Obituary: 16 Jul 1914, The Ararat Advertiser, Victoria; OBITUARY. MR EMILE BLAMPIED. The many friends of Mr Emile Blampied will regret to hear of his death, which occurred at Nhill on Friday last after an illness of only a few days. He had reached the age of 77 years, 61 of which were spent in this State. A native of France, he arrived here in the "Emma Goodwin" in 1853 with his sister, being attracted to Victoria by the sensational gold discoveries of the period. After a couple of years spent on the diggings he settled at Great Western, where he pioneered the viticultural industry, which has since grown to such great dimensions in the State. For many years a member, and for a term, President of the Shire of Stawell, he took active participation in all movements for the welfare and advancement of the district. After 40 years' residence he went to Nhill, 20 years ago, where, although leading a retired life, he made many friends by his genial and kindly disposition. In 1873 he married Louise, the eldest daughter of Louis Metzger, of Doctor's Creek, Stawell, who survives him with a family of five sons and five daughters. Deep sympathy will be felt for the family, in their sad bereavement. The funeral took place on Sunday, when his remains were laid to rest in the Nhill Cemetery. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. Father Jones, of St. Patrick's Church. Transcribed from "The Ararat Advertiser, Victoria", Thursday 16 July 1914 MR EMILE BLAMPIED. The many friends of Mr Emile Blampied will regret to hear of his death, which occurred at Nhill on Friday last after an illness of only a few days. He had reached the age of 77 years, 61 of which was spent in this State. A native of France, he arrived here in the "Emma Goodwin" in 1853 with his sister, being attracted to Victoria by the sensational gold discoveries of the period. After a couple of years spent on the diggings he settled at Great Western, where he pioneered the viticultural industry, which has since grown to such great dimensions in the State. Mr Blampied, in conjunction with the late Mr Trouette, successfully carried on the wine making industry at Great Western for many years, and secured several prizes in Australia and abroad for their wines. For many years a member, and for a term, president of the Shire of Stawell, he took active participation in all movements for the welfare and advancement of the district. After 40 years' residence there he went to Nhill 20 years' ago, where, although leading a retired life, he made many friends by his genial and kindly disposition. In 1873 he married Louse, the eldest daughter of Louis Metzger, of Stawell, who survives him with a family of five sons and five daughters. Deep sympathy is felt for the family in their sad bereavement. The funeral took place on Sunday, when the remains were laid to rest in the Nhill cemetery. The funeral service was conducted by Father Jones, of St. Patrick's Church. Ararat Chronicle and Willaura and Lake Bolac Districts Recorder, Wednesday, 15 July 1914
• Death: 21 Jul 1914, Gippsland Mercury, Sale, Victoria; The death has occurred at Nhill of Mr. Emile Blampied, who first came to the State from France 61 years ago, and was the pioneer of the vine growing industry in Great Western. About 20 years ago he went to Nhill with his family, and followed farming pursuits until his death. Transcribed from the "Gippsland Mercury, Sale, Victoria," Tuesday 21 July 1914
• Interests: 22 Dec 2020, The Murton Family History, By Kirsty Daniel; William Arthur and Eliza Marion Murton married in 1884 in South Yarra and while William was managing a station called Weinteriga in NSW, he would often go back and visit England. The couple had seven children.The eldest, Leslie was born at Wilcannia in 1885. the next 4 (Hubert 1886, Eileen 1888, Evelyn 1890 and Ivo 1891) were born in Kent England. Dudley was born in St Kilda 1894 and the youngest, Muriel was born at Alanvale Station Great Western in 1898. The Murton children spent their formative years at Great Western. William and Eliza settled in Great Western in the 1890?s and they bought the iconic St.Peters vineyard from the Trouette family in 1896. The cottage and 4 acres of cherries, belonging to the estate, were purchased by James Tiller, who was manager for Mr Murton for 11 years. William and winery owner at the time Hans Irvine were friends and William even presided over a banquet in Great Western in his honour. (The Murton Family History, By Kirsty Daniel - December 22, 202o
• Interests: 16 Mar 19095, The Ballarat Star, Victoria; GREAT WESTERN. THE VINTAGE. The vintage is just about to start at the Great Western vineyard. Everything is in readiness, and considering the very dry season, a fair yield may be expected. St. Peter?s vineyard, the oldest established in this district, has changed hands. Messrs Tiller and Nolan have leased it from Mr W. A. Murton for a term of years. The cottage and 4 acres of cherries, belonging to the estate, were purchased by Mr Jas. Tiller, who was manager for Mr Murton for the last 11 years. The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924) Thursday 16 March 1905 - Page 6

Notes:

The Age , Saturday, March 25, 1944
Pioneers of Great Western
The Story of St Peter's Vineyard
By L.L.B
St. Peter's, St. Ethel's , St Nocholas', St George, small but once prosperous vineyards in the sheltered valley where Great Western lies midway between Ararat and Stawell, are now little more than remembered names and buildings fallen into ruins.
St George has been absorbed into one of the larger vineyards which has made Great Western wines known throughout Australia, and soon all trace of St. Peter's , which has the most romantic history of , will have vanished from the hillside where, over 80 years ago, the brothers-in-law, Trouette & Blampied, commenced the culture of the vine in a climate which they found similar to that of the south of France.
The story of the French colony at Great Western began in 1852, when a girl aged 20 and a boy of 15, members of a large family of Lorraine farmers, seceretly left their home after inducing their father or landlord to make the necessary arraingements for their passage to Australia abroad an English ship. News of the gold discoveries had fired the imagination of the pair and induced them to venture across the world. They never separated. The sister married a Frenchman among the miners at Beechworth, and eventually the party reached Great Western and became the pioneers of the wine-growing industry there.
They were not, however, the first the first French settlers at Great Western. In 1857 Monsiur Durant and another Frenchman established a vegetable garden near the scene, in the later years, of the Shakespeare diggings, finding a good market among the thousands of miners then camped on the Ararat gold fields. In 1858 their garden was purchased by Jean Pierre Trouette, whose old homestead and wine cellars, built on the plan of an old French farmhouse of last century, have been offered for sale, and will soon pass into the wrecker's hands.
Magnificent Orchard
Here M. Trouette, with the assistance of his wife's brother, began to cultivate the vine in 1863. They first planted half an acre:in 1864, 4 acres: in 1865, 3 acres: in 1866, 7 acres. In his nursery in 1867 he had 50,000 vines 2,000 fruit trees of many varieties. The road leading to the house was planted on one side with cherries, on the other with plums. Lines of trees marked the boundary fences and divided one plantation from another. On two terraces near the creek cherries and quinces were planted, and along the margin of the creek were weeping willows, bamboos and poplars. Twenty-five acres of rented land was used for the production of root crops and cereals.
Of all this pleasant cultivation only a few hardy quince trees, by the creek, and two or three old poplars by the gate of the once busy and prosperous homestead now remain, and sheep graze on the slopes where the maturing sun conspired ?to load and bless with fruit and vines.
An experienced vigneron of the Department of Gers, M. Trouette was soon competing successfully with the older vineyards of the colony. In 1866, three years after his first vines were planted, he made 500 gallons of wine, and was awarded a gold medal for his white wine and a first- class certificate for his red wine at the Intercolonial Exhibition. Friendly with the Trouettes, and noting their success, the late Joseph Best, an uncle of the present Archdeacon of Ballarat, planted vines on the west side of the valley in a vineyard which was afterwards developed into the largest champagne vineyard in Australia.
Gold was discovered in the vicinity in February, 1858. Diggers brought in their train storekeepers, shanty owners and all the flotsam and jetsom of humanity. By June Great Western could boast "a police camp, post office, dissenting chapel and reading room." Nightly performances were given at a small theatre at the Hotel de Paris, billiard tables, and gambling rooms helped to part the digger from his hard-earned gold: a German band arrived, and the Golden Age Hotel was from Ararat to gladden the hearts of the inhabitants of the west.
Even the school master followed the rush, and without seeking authority removed the school building from Armstrongs to Great Western, his enterprise resulting in his immediate dismissel. The usual trouble in cases where gold fields adjoined squatting leases occurred, and it was not long before the miners were holding indignation meetings to protest the impounding of their cattle and pigs, and the steps taken by the owner of Alan Vale Station, Mr. Ewbank, to remove their tents from the roadside.
Short-Lived boom
The hectic excitement of the gold rush was short-lived. A year later, on April 8, 1859, the reporter observed:- ?Great Western presents a very dejected appearance to the scene of the once-buisy township, being a perfect picture of ruin and desolation, as if an invading army had passed over it.
Those who remained had enough faith in the future to send a petition that a township be sold, and the district surveyor marked it out between Wilson's Bull's Head Hotel and Cook's Half-Way House. The first blocks were sold at a land sale on January 20, 1860. At this time the population was 500 Europeans and 130 Chinise.
Among old residents there is a tradition that the name suggested by the inhabitants of the new was Great Eastern, after the well known paddle boat of that day which laid the trans Atlantic telegraph cable. The mining Warden, J. G. Taylor immediately replied:-"No, Great Western, for these are the most important westerly diggings in the colony." It is significant that most of the names of the Great Western streets (Nell, Stephenson, Rennie, Locke, Brunel, Cubitt, Paxton) are those of old -time shipping engineers or of men associated in some way with Great Eastern.
None of the customary signs of a decayed mining centre are evident at Great Western now. The Inner-State highway passes here through an avenue of English trees, and solid brick stores, cottage gardens bright with flowers: two or three well cared-for little churches have a background of vineyards and eucalypt forests.
A white gravel road branching easterly leads to the old home of the Trouettes & the Blampieds. The rusty wine press, the kitchen with its stone-flagged floor and large open fireplace fitted with iron hooks are mute reminders of the kindly, industrious French colonists whose hospitality was a feature of Great Western life in the 70's and 80's of last century.
Memorable Feast
At one of these fate days, held on the Queen's birthday in 1883, Hubert de Castella was present, and he vividly describes the scene in his second book of Australia sketches, "John Bull's Vineyard." "Over fifty guests sat at the tables, which were covered with white cloths, and laden with fat turkeys, fowels, game, pies, fruit and flowers. ?To the English profusion of meat." De Castella says, "to which was added the good French cooking of vegetables: the best wine of the vignoble was abundantly supplied."
"Mrs. Trouette," de Castella writes, who 38 years before led her young brother to show him the road to independence, was tall and strong, though a little bowed by toil: her dress was that of the good old time in France: the slow candenced accent of her Lorriane dialect, of which she had lost nothing, was in harmony with the kindliness and dignified simplicity of her looks. She called to us her son and daughter, two young people, speaking both French and English. Her brother, a large handsome man of 48, had one of those faces which inspires confidence from the first. He had married the daughter of an Alsatian, his friend at Beechworth, and their numerous little children completed the Patriarchal family.
Less than three years later these happy times at St. Peter's were but memories. Jean Pierre Trouette died first, and some months afterwards his son, Nicholas, gave his life to save a young employee who was overcome by fumes while cleaning out an underground fermenting tank.


Birth:
The Emergence of the Great Western Wine Region
In 1857 Monsieur Durant and another Frenchman established a small vegetable garden on the Concongella Creek in Great Western where they found a good market among the thousands of miners near the Ararat goldfields.
In 1858 their garden was purchased by Jean Pierre Trouette and with the assistance of his wife Marie Blampied and her brother Emile, they set about expanding the property. At the time there were restrictions placed on the sale of land within 7 1/2 miles of gold workings. The miners acting through the Ararat based Mining Board were generally able to prevent any proposed land sales. Trouette had great difficulty obtaining a block at Great Western, and it was only after great persistence, that, in about 1862, he was permitted to purchase another small allotment on the Concongella Creek (behind where the Great Western Hotel now stands).
Trouette and Blampied began to cultivate vines in 1863 with their first planting of half an acre at a vineyard they call ?Saint Peters?. A further 4 acres were planted in 1864, followed by 3 acres in 1865, and 7 acres in 1866. The first wine was made in the late 1960s and by then they had 50,000 young vines bearing. It was also a well known site for its extensive orchard, with some 2000 fruit trees as well as olive and chestnut trees.
By the middle 1870's the St Peters vines were reported as trellised along the Concongella Creek to bamboos, the press was on the double screw principle and was very powerful, a distillery adjoined the press and the refuse was used for fattening cattle and pigs. Six men were employed all the year, about three extra during the vintage.
By 1878 they had 45 acres under vine as well as many fruit trees of numerous varieties. After overcoming some more opposition from the Mining Board they had been able to expand into a 200 acre block behind their original holding. Quite a significant achievement given the obstacles that they faced.
Without doubt, the families of Trouette and Blampied were instrumental to the foundation of viticulture in the Grampians region.

(The History of Winemaking in Great Western, 27 September 2018 Hamish Thomson)



The Murton family had with Great Western and the Trouette family
Grandfather & Grandmother owned the land at Great Western (between Ararat and Stawell in Vic.) during the 1890s, which they sold on the advice of the Union Trustees, Vic, as they were overseas at the time-about 1903-4-5. This land, I was told, is now owned by Seppelts. When we lived in Ararat 1922-27, we were often taken by Dad to visit the family's French governess, Madame or M'selle Truett, who lived in a white cottage on the main highway, on the right going North to Stawell. About one block behind Madame Truett's, & as far as I know can still be seen, the ruins of the family home with the cellars still evident - I last saw them about 1970. When I was born Dad was given 12 bottles of Champagne by Seppelts which were kept for my 21st - As I was in the Middle East in ?41, they had to wait later. In recent times there was a ?back to Great Western?, & I saw a copy of an old Race Book in which W.A. Murton Esq was shown as the Official Starter. I think Grandmother died in 1905, and about this time the family moved (I think) to Albert Park, Melbourne?.
Mac was basing this on his memory. Some of the detail extracted from the old newspapers would suggest that his dates might be a bit off. However, his commentary reflects a close relationship the Murton family had with Great Western and the Trouette family.

September 10-Emma Goodwin, barqee, 447 tons,
W. E. A. King, from London 15th April, and Plymouth
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Monday 12 September 1853 - Page 4

BLOMPIED, ANNIE
Ship: EMMA GOODWIN; Arrival Year: 1853; Arrival Month: SEP; Age: 28; Gender: F; Origin: -; Master: KING W E A; Origin port code: B; Fiche number: 50; Page of list: 1
DATE:
1853
SERIES:
Unassisted Inward Passengers index

BLOMPIED, NICHOLAS SIER
Ship: EMMA GOODWIN; Arrival Year: 1853; Arrival Month: SEP; Age: 18; Gender: M; Origin: FRE; Master: KING W E A; Origin port code: B; Fiche number: 50; Page of list: 1
DATE:
1853
SERIES:
Unassisted Inward Passengers index



Buried:
NHILL CEMETERY
BLAMPIED Emile, Marie Louise
BLAMPIED Jean, Peter

Died:
Death Registration
BLAMFRIED, Emile Pierre Nicolas: Event: Death: Father: BLAMFRIED Pierre: Mother: Unkown: Age 77 : Death Place Nhill: Year 1914 Reg No 11155 [Great War Index 1914 -1920]

Emile married Marie Louise Metzger 23 Nov 1873, St Patricks Church Stawell, Victoria. Marie (daughter of Louis Metzger and Élisabeth /Elizabeth Haurie) was born 15 Aug 1853, Montélimar, Drôme, Rhône-Alpes, France/ Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France; died 14 Aug 1939, Nicholson Street, East Brunswick, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; was buried 16 Aug 1939, Nhill Cemetery, Victoria, Australia . [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Emigration: 1855, From France to Victoria, Austrlia; Marie Louise emigrated with her parents Louis and Elizabeth Metzger from Strasbourg, Department of Bas, France, on the French Ship Lucie which sailed from the French Port of Dieppe in Jan 1855 and arrived at the Port of Melbourne on 8 Mar 1855. Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists to Victoria 1852-1923 Family Name First Name Age Month Year Ship Port Fiche Page Family Name: METZGER: First Name: LOUIS: Age: 28: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Family Name: METZGER: ---- WIFE WITH: Age: 28: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Family Name: METZGER: ---- INFANT WITH : Age: 1: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists 1839 -1923 Name: Louis Melzger Estimated birth year: abt 1827 Age: 28 Arrival Date: 8 Mar 1855 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Dieppe Ship: Lucie
• Electoral Roll: 1903, 1909, 1914 & 1919, Nhill; Victoria Electoral Roll 1903 Subdivision of Nhill Blampied, Alice, Nhill, home duties Blampied, Emil, Nhill, vigeron Blampied, Marie Louise, Nhill, home duties Victoria Electoral Roll 1909 Subdivision of Nhill Blampied, Claudine, Njill, nurse Blampied, Emil, Nhill, vigneron Blampied, Eugene Peter, Nhill, mill hand Blampied, Jean, Nhill, home duties (wife of Eugene Peter) Blampied, Louis Henry, Nhill, farmer Blampied, Marie Louise, Nhill, home duties Victoria Electoral Roll 1919 Subdivision of Nhill Blampied, Eugene Peter, Nhill, mill hand Blampied, Jean, Nhill, home duties (wife of Eugene Peter) Blampied, Louis Henry, Nhill, labourer Blampied, Marie Louise, Nhill, home duties Blampied, Rene Jules, Nhill, bootmaker
• Electoral Roll: 1924 & 1931, 991 Rathdown St., Carlton North; Victoria Electoral Roll 1924, 1931 Subdivision of Carlton North Blampied, Louis Henry, 991 Rathdown St., produce merchant Blampied, Marie Louise, 991 Rathdown St.,home duties
• Electoral Roll: 1937, 53 Nicholson St., ; Victoria Electoral Roll 1937 Subdivision of Edward Blampied, Louis Henry, 53 Nicholson St., fuel merchant Blampied, Emily Elizabeth, 53 Nicholson St., home duties Blampied, Marie Louise, 53 Nicholson St., home duties
• Death Notice: 19 Aug 1939, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; BLAMPIED-On the 14th August, at her son's residence Nicholson street, East Brunswick, Marie Louise, relict of the late Emile Pierre (late Great Western) beloved mother of Emile (deceased), Elise (Mrs T Hesford deceased), Celestine (deceased) Eugene, Marie (Mrs R Troedell ), Claudine (Mrs G. Kettle), Louis, Adrienne (Mrs C. S. Atherton), Emile, Gabrielle (Mrs P. O'Meara, deceased), Nicholas, Rene. aged 88 years -Requiescat in pace (Interred at Nhill.) BLAMPIED - On the 14th August, Marie Louise, loved grandma of Adrienne, Claire, Stanley, Zelma, Carson and Lorraine Atherton, also loved great grandma of Billy and Betty Hanlon, Judith and Baby Threlfall and John Atherton aged 88 years -Requiescat in pace Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria", Saturday 19 August 1939
• Obituary: 19 Aug 1939, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; COUNTRY NEWS AT 86 YEARS NHILL.- Mrs. Marie Louise Blampied, aged 86 years, widow of the late Emil Blampied, who established the wine industry with the Trouettes at Great Western in 1870, has died. She was born in France, and went to Great Western with her parents. In 1895 she accompanied her husband to Nhill, where he established a number of vineyards. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria", Saturday 19 August 1939 MRS. M. L. BLAMPIED (V.) Mrs. Marie Louise Blampied. aged 86 years, widow of the late Emil Blampied, who established the wine industry with the Trouetts at Great Western (V.) in 1870, has died. She was born in France, and went to Great Western with her parents. In 1895 she accompanied her husband to Nhill, where he established a number of vineyards. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Previous issue Saturday, 26 August 1939
• Personal: 19 Sep 1939, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; Mr and Mrs LOUIS BLAMPIED, Sons and Daughters of the late Mrs Marie Louise Blampled, wish to THANK relatives and friends for cards perrsonal expressions of sympathy and floral tributes In their recent sad bereavement. Will all please accept this as a personal acknowledgement of our deepest gratitude 53 Nicholson street, East Brunswick Transcribed from from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria", Tuesday 19 September 1939

Notes:

St Peter's Vineyard, North Road, GREAT WESTERN
Statement of Significance
St Peter's vineyard was the first vineyard and winery in Great Western. It was established by Jean Pierre and Anne Marie Trouette in 1863. The only remaining obvious reminders of the vineyard orchard and homestead are the gateway and flanking English Elm trees marking the entrance to the property.
The site is of historical significance to Great Western. It indicates the early settlement of land in the area for vineyard purposes. It is of importance for its potential to provide information that contributes to a greater understanding of the history of the settlement and establishment of the district, and has a strong presumption of archaeological research potential. Further historical research and archaeological investigation is recommended.RECOMMENDED LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE: Conservation Desirable

History
The history has been extracted from Chapters 5 and 6, Grapes and Gold by Arthur Kuehne

Jean Pierre Trouette was born in 1833 and came from a family of winemakers in the French town of Estamps. He left home for Monte Video in Uruguay where he stayed for three years before he emigrated to Australia. He arrived in Adelaide in 1853 and worked in the copper mines of Burra for six months before heading off in the search of gold. In Beechworth he met Marie Louise Blampied and her brother Emile who had run away from France for the adventure of the Victorian goldfields. The three joined forces and transported supplies for the miners. In 1856 Marie and Pierre married in Beechworth and in 1858 they moved to Great Western where the two men engaged in mining. They bought a block of land and commenced supplying vegetables to the miners. In 1863, having obtained freehold of the property, Jean Pierre Trouette planted the first vines. He began with planting half an acre of vines and named the vineyard, St Peter's. By 1867 the estate carried 50,000 vines and 2000 fruit trees, including cherries, plums, quinces and also some olives and chestnuts.
For the production of wine at vintage time, screw presses were used. A large square tank, 18 feet by 18 feet and three feet deep was built above ground level. The tank was constructed of brick, lined with cement and was divided into two sections. In the one compartment the trading of the grapes took place, while the screw press was placed in the other section.
They achieved the first recognition for their wines in 1867 when a coach driver, after sampling the wine, entered the wine in the Ballarat National Agricultural Show where it won a gold medal. By 1878 the shelves of St Peter's held a dazzling array of trophies and medals from as far afield as Philadelphia, Austria, London and France.
The Trouettes were very hospitable and their house was constructed with a large room in the centre from which the doors led to numerous other rooms. The large hall was 50 feet long by 30 feet wide and the roof was supported on five large squared off tree trunks. They entertained up to 100 people in the space. Each year, after the grapes had been gathered in, the "Vendage" or "Harvest Home" was celebrated at St Peter's. This would start late in the afternoon and continue through until daybreak the next morning.
Jean Pierre Trouette was dedicated to the establishment of the wine industry and he also served the community on the Stawell Shire Council. He was the first Councillor to serve the East Riding after the Shire had been divided into Ridings and he served on council until his death in November 1885.
The vineyard was taken over by his son Nicholas but tragedy struck three months later when a worker was sent to clean an underground wine vat. He was overcome by fumes and another worker attempted to rescue him but he fell from the rope. Nicholas Trouette went into the tank and secured a rope around the worker but was overcome by fumes. His sister Marie went to assist but had to be rescued from the vat. Nicholas was finally raised from the vat but along with another of the workers could not be revived. Marie Trouette won the bronze medal of the Royal humane Society for her attempts to rescue her brother.
Following the death of Nicholas Trouette and a number of crop failures and bad seasons, St Peter's was sold in 1897 to an English family named Merton. Ann Marie Trouette lived in retirement until her death in 1905. Her well loved, community minded and public spirited daughter, Marie, took an active part in the life of Great Western until she died in 1927 at the age of 70. The vineyards, orchards, winery and the gracious old homestead of St Peter's are all long gone. Two English trees shade an old iron gate which once lead to the homestead.
Citation Reference:
Arthur Kuehne, Grapes and Gold, Glimpses of Early Great Western, Maryborough 1980 pp. 21-27.


Birth:
Name: Marie Louise Metzger
Birth Date: 15 Aug 1853
Event Place: Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France
Event Place (Original): Montelimar, Drome
Father's Name: Louis Metzger
Mother's Name: Elisabeth Haurie
France, Births and Baptisms, 1546-1896

Montélimar, Drôme

Name: Marie Louise
Birth Date: 15 Aug 1853
Birthplace: Montelimar, Drome
Father's Name: Louis Metzger
Mother's Name: Elisabeth Haurie
(LDS, France Births and Baptisms 1546-1896)

Louis Metzger
mentioned in the record of Marie Louise
Name: Louis Metzger
Sex: Male
Wife: Elisabeth Haurie
Daughter: Marie Louise
(LDS, France Births and Baptisms 1546-1896)

Montélimar is located in South East France in the department of Drome, Rhone Alpes. It is the second largest town in the department after Valence.


The History of Winemaking in Great Western
27 September 2018 | Hamish Thomson

The famous author Mark Twain visited Great Western in 1895 on his tour of the British Empire. When writing his travel book ?Following the Equator ? A journey around the world? he acknowledged the potential of the fledgling wine region, noting it?s potential for producing exceptional wine "The Stawell region ... had great vineyards but the Great Western is regarded as a model.?

Whilst the Great Western wine region may not be as famous as some of our South Australian or even local Yarra Valley neighbours, wine production in our region dates back to the early 1850s and is home to some of the most famous vineyards in Australia. As a region we?re responsible for pioneering innovation around styles and winemaking techniques. Let us tell you a little bit about the history of our local region?
The Emergence of the Great Western Wine Region

In 1857 Monsieur Durant and another Frenchman established a small vegetable garden on the Concongella Creek in Great Western where they found a good market among the thousands of miners near the Ararat goldfields.

In 1858 their garden was purchased by Jean Pierre Trouette and with the assistance of his wife Marie Blampied and her brother Emile, they set about expanding the property. At the time there were restrictions placed on the sale of land within 7 1/2 miles of gold workings. The miners acting through the Ararat based Mining Board were generally able to prevent any proposed land sales. Trouette had great difficulty obtaining a block at Great Western, and it was only after great persistence, that, in about 1862, he was permitted to purchase another small allotment on the Concongella Creek (behind where the Great Western Hotel now stands).

Trouette and Blampied began to cultivate vines in 1863 with their first planting of half an acre at a vineyard they call ?Saint Peters?. A further 4 acres were planted in 1864, followed by 3 acres in 1865, and 7 acres in 1866. The first wine was made in the late 1960s and by then they had 50,000 young vines bearing. It was also a well known site for its extensive orchard, with some 2000 fruit trees as well as olive and chestnut trees.

By the middle 1870's the St Peters vines were reported as trellised along the Concongella Creek to bamboos, the press was on the double screw principle and was very powerful, a distillery adjoined the press and the refuse was used for fattening cattle and pigs. Six men were employed all the year, about three extra during the vintage.

By 1878 they had 45 acres under vine as well as many fruit trees of numerous varieties. After overcoming some more opposition from the Mining Board they had been able to expand into a 200 acre block behind their original holding. Quite a significant achievement given the obstacles that they faced.

Without doubt, the families of Trouette and Blampied were instrumental to the foundation of viticulture in the Grampians region.
The Best?s Brothers Legacy

Meanwhile two English brothers, Joseph and Henry Best, established vineyards at Great Western and along the Concongella Creek using some of Trouette's cuttings. Initially they had moved to the region as butchers, having set up a slaughter yards on what became known as Slaughter House Road to sell meat to the miners. They had very different background to Trouette and Blampied, coming from quite an illustrious family.

The brothers soon turned their attention to wine. In 1865 Joseph Best established the Great Western Winery and Cellar.

Joseph?s brother, Henry Best was also keen to establish his fortune and in 1866 purchased 73 hectares of land on a property known as Concongella, planting his first vines in 1868. Known as ?Best?s Wines? it became a fully functioning winery by 1893.

The brothers were reportedly close, working together in the early years to establish their respective businesses and becoming more actively involved in the local community.

Henry was forward thinking about viticulture for his time. Not having a lot of previous learnings to gauge what varieties would thrive, he put into the ground every variety that he could lay his hands upon. The names he gave his vines, Mixed Trouette, Black St Peter?s, Bad Bearer, Rough Leaf, Grand Turk and Greenarch ? reflected their origin, their physical features or their variety. It wasn?t just the agricultural work that Henry attacked with gusto, he also made his initial wine press from a tree trunk. The tree was fashioned into a lever 30 feet long and two feet in diameter. It was fixed to two upright posts sunk firmly in cement. The lever was worked by a capstan with a three-inch rope. He had excavated a large, egg shaped pit underground, faced it with cement and then covered it. This was his storage vat.

The wines from the Best?s proved popular in Britain and in parts of Europe, winning awards nationally and internationally. In 1873 Joseph Best?s Wines won a gold medal at the 1873 London International Exhibition and a silver at the Melbourne Inter-colonial Exhibition.

The brother?s wine business? continued to thrive and evolve. In 1870 the Ararat Advertiser reports ?two lofty stories sunk beneath the surface? at Joseph Best?s Great Western Cellar, comprising four tunnels or drives measuring seven feet by four feet produced for the production of sparkling wines.

Sadly, in 1887 Joseph Best passed away and a local Ballarat businessman, Hans Irvine, purchased his winery for the sum of £12,000. He was aware that Trouette and Blampied were already making sparkling wines, and thus he employed former Pommery maker Charles Pierlot from Champagne to produce méthode champenoise sparkling wines, starting the long history of sparkling wine production in the region. The underground drives continue to be expanded with the Governor of the time, Lord Hopeton opening the new Drives in 1903.

With his wife Mary having passed away, in 1918 Irvine sold Great Western Vineyards to friend Benno Seppelt of Seppeltsfield who resided in South Australia.
The Thomson Family makes their mark

By 1890 there were 120 vignerons in the region cultivating 908 hectares in the area and Great Western became known for its fine wines. In 1877 the phylloxera disease decimated wineries in Victoria, particularly in central Victoria. Many wineries never recovered. The Great Western vineyards however were unscathed.

William Thomson from Scotland also settled in Great Western and purchased a winery at Rhymney in 1893 from John Lorimer. After purchasing St Andrews, William set about enhancing and expanding the property into a highly productive winery and orchard. He was helped in his toil by his son, Frederick, who was sixteen when they settled on the property.

In 1920, Frederick became aware that Charles Best was looking to sell the Best?s property and considering the opportunity too good to pass up, purchased the business, the stock, equipment and the name ?Best?s Great Western? for £10,000.

Throughout the 1920s other wineries (including Best?s at Rhymney) focused on fortified wine production which was in much demand and helped to keep the industry alive through troubled war-time years. It was a period not without challenges, not only had the deteriorating economy reduced the price of wine, but when Seppelt bought Hans Irvine out they shifted production of their brandy to South Australia, which decimated the market for local wineries that sold their wines in bulk. In addition, the Federal Government reduced the export bounty on wine that had supported winemakers exporting their products. Times were tough and many local wineries failed to survive.

The 30s and 40s really were troubled times where the industry struggled to stay afloat post war. Seppelt Winemaker Colin Preece at the time launched a number of wines like the Moyston Claret, Chalambar Burgundy, Arawatta Riesling and Rhymney Chablis that kept the region periodically in the spotlight, but the consumers really did not grasp these varietal wines.

Viv Thomson reflects about some of the history of the region at the 150th anniversary of Winemaking in Great Wesern

The 50s, 60s and 70s ? The Evolution of Table Wines

The 1950s and 60s were buoyant years with table wine now becoming an acceptable beverage and Great Western wines making their way onto the tables of many Australian consumers. It was worth noting that in the 1960s there were 16 wineries throughout the whole of Victoria, two of whom came from Great Western (Seppelt and Best?s).

Viv Thomson fondly recalls joining the family business in 1960, that winemaking was traditionally done by hand, hand harvesting, freighting and despatching via rail.

The industry was on an upward trend. Shiraz was king, aromatic Rieslings became in fashion and wineries could not keep up with the production of Shiraz! Then the consumers changed and wanted white wines! Needless to say that the first job for Trevor Mast when he was appointed winemaker at Best?s was to make white wine out of Shiraz. Technology changed dramatically with the invention of refrigeration and better filtration. Wine really took off in Australia and plantings grew exponentially.

LAWRENCE GEORGE BLAMPIED enlisted at Nhill
Private
LAWRENCE GEORGE BLAMPIED
VX86191
Service Australian Army
Date of Birth 10 August 1922
Place of birth ADELAIDE, SA
Date of Enlistment 7 November 1940
Place of Enlistment NHILL
Next of Kin SWIFT, S
Date of Discharge 18 December 1947
Posting at Discharge 8 AUST COMD AIR LIASON GP (BCOF)
Additional Service Numbers 3760
(Australian Government, Department of Veterans' Affairs)

PTE. L.G. BLAMPIED (81 (F.) Wing H.Q., A.L.O. Section. R.A.A.F.. B.C.O.F., Bofu, Japan) is in the A.I.F. attached to the Air Force in Japan and he is very lonely. He would like female pen friends. Please write direct.
Western Mail, Perth, WA., Thursday, 21 November 1946



Buried:
NHILL CEMETERY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
BLAMPIED Emile, Marie Louise
BLAMPIED Jean, Peter

Died:
Name: Marie Louise Blampied
Death Place: East Brunswick, Victoria
Age: 86
Father's Name: Louis Metzger
Mother's name: Louise Orrea
Registration Year: 1939
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration number: 8050
(Victoria Death Index 1921-1985)

Notes:

Married:
Information on the Marriage Certificate
Married 23 November 1873 in St Patricks Church, Stawell, Emile Blampied, Bachelor, born in Vic, France, Vigneron, age 37 years of Great Western. Father: Ptr Nicholas Blampied, farmer: Mother: Marie Francoise Geardin, to Louise Metzger, Spinster , Born Strausbourg, France, age 20 years of Doctors Creek, Stawell. Father Louis Metzger, Vigneron. Mother: Elizabeth Haurie. The Witnesses were J P Trouette and Marie Francoise Trouette
Marie Francoise Trouette-Anne Marie Trouette

Emile and Louise were married by Licence

Notes:

Birth:
Meurthe-et-Moselle is a department in the Lorraine region of France, named after the Meurthe and Moselle rivers.
Meurthe-et-Moselle was created in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War from the parts of the former departments of Moselle and Meurthe which remained French territory

Pierre married Marie Francoise Jardin/Geardin Abt 1822, Moselle, Lorraine, France . Marie was born France. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Emigration: Jan 1855, From Strasbourg, France to Victoria, Australia; Louis and Elizabeth Metzger and their daughter Louisa, emigrated from Strasbourg, Department of Bas, France, on the French Ship Lucie which sailed from the French Port of Dieppe in Jan 1855 and arrived at the Port of Melbourne on 8 Mar 1855. From the Passenger List of the Lucie in French Louis Metzger, age 28, son of Louis and Odil Kammerlocker, his wife aged 28 was the daughter of Pierre Hauri and Marie Loustau. They came from Strasbourg. (Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839?1923 ) Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists 1839 -1923 Name: Louis Melzger Estimated birth year: abt 1827 Age: 28 Arrival Date: 8 Mar 1855 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Dieppe Ship: Lucie Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists to Victoria 1852-1923 Family Name First Name Age Month Year Family Name: METZGER: First Name: LOUIS: Age: 28: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Family Name: METZGER: ---- WIFE WITH: Age: 28: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Family Name: METZGER: ---- INFANT WITH : Age: 1: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Name: Louis Metzger Arrival Date: 8 Mar 1855 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Dieppe Ship: Lucie Nationality: French
• Arrival: 7 Mar 1855, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. March 6.-Lucie, French ship, 614 tons, R. Vasselin, from Dieppe 5th December, with 209 second cabin passengers. Montefiore, Graham and Co., agents. Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria," Wednesday 7 March 1855
• Arrival: 27 Mar 1855, Mariners and ships in Australian Waters; Mariners and ships in Australian Waters LUCIE OF DIEPPE, A. VASSELIN, MASTER, BURTHEN 615 TONS FROM THE PORT OF MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, 27TH MARCH, 1855
• Departure: 9 May 1855, Empire, Sydney, New South Wales; SHIPPING PASSAGE TO ENGLAND, VIA FRANCE, FOR DIEPPE. The superb French Clipper Ship LUCIE. 615 tons register, Captain Vattelin. From her superior accommndation and sailing qualities, this vessel presents a most desirable conveyance for passengers procceding either to England or the Continent. Between Dieppe and Southampton, steamers ply twice a day, and London is reached in 13 or 14 hours. For further particulars, apply to tho Commander on board or to KIRCHENER AND CO., 691 Wynyard-street. Transcribed from the "Empire,Sydney, NSW," Wednesday 9 May 1855
• Land: 1861, Victoria; First Name: Louis Last Name: Metzger Title: Year: 1861 Subject: Title Deeds Page: 928 Country: Australia State: Victoria Location: Record set: Victoria government gazettes (Gazettes, Victoria 1858-1900)
• Personal: 1861, Bell Vue Vineyard, Concongella Creek, Stawell; Frenchman, Jean Pierre Trouette, was one who had great difficulty obtaining a block in Great Western, and it was only after much persistence, that, in about 1862, he was permitted to purchase a small allotment on the Concongella Creek. Trouette was born in 1833, in the town of Estampes, in the south of France, and was one of many Europeans attracted to the Australian gold rushes in the 1850's. Brother and sister, Emile and Marie Blampied, from a farming family, were two others drawn to the antipodes from France during the same period. They made their long journey south in 1852, when Marie was 20, and Emil 15, leaving home without informing their parents. The three Gallic fortune seekers met at Daylesford in 1856, where Jean Pieerre married Marie, and formed a mining partnership with Emil. Two years later they joined the rush to Great Western. Trouette from a wine growing area of France, began to believe that the vine could also flourish in the gravelly and sandy, undulating country about the gold field, so, although some locals called them "fools", in 1863, he and Blampied began planting vines on their plot beside the creek. The two men were actually not the first grape growers in the district. Many of the early spuatters planted vines, as well as fruit trees around their homesteads, and in 1861, at Concongella, near Stawell, another Frenchman, Louis Metzger, had also managed to secure a block of land on the Concongella Creek. He began a vineyard the same year, two years before his compatriots ten kilometres upstream. Being closer to the large population of Stawell, Metzger had an additional difficulty to combat to those faced by Trouette and Blampied; that of the townsfolk who were fond of of grapes crossing over Big Hill to raid his vines. In 1874, the two families were joined, when Emile Blampied married Louisa Metzger, the eldest daughter of Louis. (From Good Country For A Grant, A history of the Stawell Shire, by Robert Kingston. First published 1989)
• Personal: 1861, Bell Vue Vineyard, Youlden's Bridge, Concongella Creek, Stawell; It is not generally known as it should be that Mr. Louis Metzger, of Concongella Creek, whose holding is situated near Youlden's Bridge, was the pioneer vine-planter in this district with a view to producing wine. As a Frenchman from from a province in his native country in which he had been familiar with vineyard culture he possessed exceptional knowledge on the subject. He quickly released that it would be profitable on the plot of land which he had purchased from the Government, at a price beyond its intrinsic value for ordinary cultivation. His experiment , though only on a small scale, was moderately successful and the example being followed by neighbours marked the very earliest commencement of the wine producing interest, the ultimate importance of which none can tell. Everything was against Mr. Metzger at first: he had to fence in and cultivate a piece of wilderness, beside having to endure the ravages of native birds and other bush enemies, his orchard and vineyard, even during noon-day were robbed by mischievous boys, whose drepredations it was almost impossible to repress. Still, he persevered and proved to his neighbors that the soil and climate were suitable for vine culture, and that good palatable wine could be produced as well as luscious fruit. Taking the vine growers of the district in rotation as regards their commencing to plant Messrs. Trouette and Blampied of St. Peter?s Vineyard, Great Western, and the late Mr. Joe Best, of the same locality, were the next in the order of succession. -. The late Mr Trouette and his partner Mr. Blampied , though not reaping the reward their industry and enterprise merited , did much towards establishing the reputation of Great Western wines and the same must be said for of Mr Jos. Best. - (Stawell: Past and Present by Maynard Ord, published in 1896. Reproduced in 1999 by The Stawell Historical Society).
• Land: 1865, Stawell, Victoria; First Name: Louis Last Name: Metzger Title: Year: 1865 Subject: Title Deeds Page: 1032 Country: Australia State: Victoria Location: Stawell Record set: Victoria government gazettes (Government Gazettes, Victoria 1858-1900)
• Awards: 20 Mar 1865, The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria; ARARAT. The fifth exhibition in connexion with the Ararat Agricultural Society There was a sharp competition for the prize in grapes between Mr. Metzger, of Pleasant Creek, and Mr. Little, of Eversley. The exhibits of the former commended much admiration, not only on account of the sizes of the bunches but also because of their rich flavour. Mr. Little's display was much more profuse than that of Mr. Metzger, but the judges gave the prize to the latter. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Monday 20 March 1865 - Page 6
• Interests: 1869
• Interests: 1869
• Interests: 1869
• Awards: 28 Aug 1869, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; WIMMERA DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. (ABRIDGED FROM THE ARARAT AND PLEASANT CREEK ADVERTISER. AUG. 20.) The first show of the above society came off yesterday at Pleasant Creek, and was a great success. The weather was fine, and visitors poured in during the whole of the earlier part of the day, to find the arrangements for their convenience admirably well devised, considering that this is the first show of a very young society. In wines there was a very fair amount of competition; for the best white wine of any age the first prize was taken by Messrs. Bryce and Chalmers; for that of 1868 first prize, Louis Metzger, of Concongella, and Trouette and Blancpied, of the Great Western, the second prize; for that of 1869 Louis Metzger, first prize. In the red wines, for the best half dozen of any age. Trouette and Blancpied, first prize, and Mooney Brothers, of Mooney's Gap, Avoca road, second prize; for that of 1868, Messrs. Mooney Brothers, first prize; for that of 1869, Messrs. Frey and Co. first prize, and Messrs. Trouette and Blancpied, second prize. It will be seen that, with only two exceptions, the prize-takers for wines are well-known growers in this district. For the best hogshead Colonial Ale the first prize was awarded to Mr. Powell, of the Excelsior Brewery, Stawell; Mr.Crawford, of the Ararat Brewery, obtaining honourable mention. A novel exhibit was made by Mr. Samuel Wilson, of Longerenong, in the shape of ostrich feathers. We append as complete a list of prizes as our reporter was able to obtain, his efforts not being a little impeded by a want of courtesy on the part of some of the officials. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 28 August 1869
• Awards: 14 Oct 1869, The Ballarat Argricultural Show; THE BALLARAT AGRICULTURAL SHOW. Thursday was the great day at the Annual Show of the Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and the yards were crowded, over 10,000 persons being present during the day. The following is the list of prize-takers and exhibitors. Exhibitors in the classes in which prizes were awarded yesterday: CLASS L.-COLONIAL LIQUORS. Section 3- Twelve bottles of red wine, vintage of 1867 or 1868 (made in the colonies and exhibited by grower)-First prize, £3; second, £2; third, £1. First prize, Alfred Lester, Ballarat; third, James Kerr, Buninyong; nc. second prize awarded. Other exhibitors, Louis Metzger, Pleasant Creek Reefs; Trouette and Blampied, Great Western, Stawell, vintage of 1868; Weber Bros., Leigh Road. Section 4-: Twelve bottles of white wine, of the vintage of 1867 or 1868 (made in the colonies and exhibited by grower)-: First prize, £3; second, £2; third, £1. First prize, Alfred Lester, Ballarat; second, Trouette and Blampied, Great Western, Stawell, vintage of 1868; third, Louis Metzger, Pleasant Creek Reefs. Other exhibitors, Weber Bros., Leigh road. Transcribed from "The Ballarat Star, Victoria," Friday 15 October 1869
• Awards: 27 Aug 1870, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; WIMMERA DISTRICT PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY (FROM THE ARARAT PLEASANT CREEK ADVERTISER, AUG. 19.) CLASS D.-WINE. Section 1.-Best half-dozen white wine of any age, £2, L. Metzgar; J. P. Trouette, honourable mention. Section 2.-Best half-dozen red wine, of any age, £2, L. Metzgar. Section 3.-Best half-dozen white wine, of 1868, £1, J. P. Trouette. Section 4.-Best half-dozen red wine, of 1867, £2. No competitor. Section 6.-Best half-dozen white wine, of 1869, £2, L. Metzgar; J. P. Trouette, honourable mention. Section 6.-Best half-dozen red wine, of 1869, £2, L. Metzgar; J. P. Trouette, honourable mention. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 27 August 1870
• Fire: 13 Mar 1872, The Ballarat Star, Victoria; The fire which occurred at the homestead of Mr Louis Metzger, of Concongella Creek, has, we (Ararat Advertiser) are sorry to say, destroyed all the property possessed by the proprietor. Mr Metzger was not insured, and about £lOOO is the amount of the loss which has been sustained; only a box, some papers, a couple of chairs, and the horses were saved; The fire was caused we learn, by the, igniting of a dress, which was hanging against the wall. All the crop of. wheat, consisting; of 20 bags, 1500 gallons of wine, the dwelling, outhouses, and barn were destroyed. A great deal of sympathy (which is likely to assume a very tangible form) is expressed for Mr Metzger. Subscription lists are now being carried round. The Ballarat Star, Victoria, Wednesday, 13 March 1872
• Awards: 29 Mar 1873, The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria; WIMMERA DISTRICT PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY (FROM THE ARARAT ADVERTISER, MARCH 21 FRUITS &c.-(Judges-Messrs. Clarke, Thompson, and McEvoy) Apples (three varieties)-First prize- Trouette and Blampied, second prize T. Metcalf. Fruits-First prize- Trouette and Blampied, second second prize, T Metcalf, L. Metzgar highly commended. Collection of Wine Grapes-Prize Trouette and Blampied, L. Metzgar, hon. mention. WINES-. (Judges-Messrs. True, B. Smith, Aeschimann, Holbing, Bercich, and Dr. Sharpe.)- Red Wine (under two years of age)-First prize Trouette and Blampied, second prize L. Metzgar. White Wine (under two years of age)-First and second prizes Joseph Best. Red Wine (any age)-First prize' Trouette and Blampied, second prize Joseph Best. White Wine (any age)-First prize Joseph Best, second prize Trouete and Blampied. The Australasian, Melbourne, Victoria, Saturday 29 March 1873
• Awards: 17 Oct 1877, The Argus Melbourne, Victoria; THE NATIONAL SHOW AT STAWELL. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] (From our own correspondent.) STAWELL, Thursday. The judges to-day completed their adjudications upon the wine exhibits, the number and quality of which showed the importance attached to the prizes offered. For the champion prize, value £20, for the best collections of wines the produce of the colonies, three varieties of red and white, there were nine entries namely -Mr. Fletcher, Warrion Vineyard, Colac, James Kelman, Brankstone ; the South Australian Vineyard Association , A. Bruhn, Emu Creek, Sandhurst ; J. Best, Great Western ; Trouette and Blampied, Great Western ; and Louis Metzger, StawelL. The same parties also competed for the champion prize of £10, For the red wine there were several competitors, and in addition to those mentioned was J. Griffenbagen, from Sandhurst. In section one there were entries from the following -Messrs. Fletcher, Kelman, N.S W. ; Bruhn, A. Fox Griffenhagen, J, and H Best, Trouette and Blampied, Metzger,G A Smith (Wahgunyah), and F. Cnppahburn. In section two the same exhibitors competed, with the addition of Mr. C. T. Sutherland. In section three there were 11 exhibitors, consisting of those already mentioned, and Messrs. Brierly and Wilson, Eversley, near Ararat. In section four, also, there was a large collection of exhibits contributed by vignerons whose names are included in the above. The champion prize of £20 was carried off by Mensrs. Trouette and Blampied, who were the first to undertake the cultivation of the vine at Great Western. The following is the result of the judges. Aawards: CLASS N. Colonial Wines (Grown hy Exhibitor) -Champion Prize, £20-.Best Collection of Wines (the produce of the colonies) three varieties of red wine and three varieties of white wine-Trouette and Blampied, Great Western. Best six Bottles of Colonial Red Wine, over three years of age-First Louis Metzger, Concongella Creek. Best Six Bottles Colonial White Wine, under two years of age-First, Jas. Kelman: second, Trouette and Blampied. Transcribed from "The Argus Melbourne, Victoria,"Wednesday 17 October 1877
• Awards: 14 Apr 1881, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AWARDS. WINES. Victoria. L Metzger, Stawell, white muscat, 1872. Joseph Best, Great Western, sauterne, 1876, Trouette and Blampied, Great Western, sauterne No 1, 1874, chablis No 2, 1874 (two awards) J.Best, Great Western, claret, 1878. Trouette and Blampied, Great Western, claret 1878, L Metzger, Stawell, claret 1878. Trouette and Blampied, Great Western champagne, 1875 Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria," Thursday 14 April 1881
• Personal: 21 May 1882, Victoria Police Gazette document; HENRY JONES absconded from his licensed service with Louis Metzger, vigneron , Concongella Creek, via Stawell, on the 9th inst. Description :-About 14 years of age, 4 feet 6 inches high, square build , dark complexion and hair, strong healthy appearance; wore a dark tweed suit and black soft-felt hat.-O.4375. 21st May, 1892. Collection Courts & Legal - HENRY JONES absconded from his licensed service with Louis Metzger, vigneron , Concongella Creek, via Stawell, on the 9th inst. Description :-About 14 years of age, 4 feet 6 inches high, square build , dark complexion and hair, strong healthy appearance; wore a dark tweed suit and black soft-felt hat.-O.4375. 21st May, 1892. Collection Courts & Legal-Victoria Police Gazette document (FindmyPast)
• Personal: 4 Nov 1883, Advocate, Parramatta, New South Wales; Fruitgrowers? Notes. As a cure for oidium, it is said by M. Paul do Castella to be more powerful than sulphur. Applied to peach trees, ST.- Louis Metzgar, of the Bellevue Vineyard, Victoria, says it prevents fungoid diseases to which those trees are liable The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950) Saturday 4 November 1893 - Page 6
• Land: 26 Aug 1893, The Mildura Cultivator, Victoria; Par-Oidium As a cure for oidium, it is said by M. Paul de Castelia to be more powerful than sulpher. Applied to peach-trees, M. Louis Metzger, of the Belleview Vineyard, Victoria, says it prevents fungoid diseases to which those trees are liable. Other able vignerons and orchardists also bear flattering testominy to its beneficial effects, and it is certainly worth trying by the Mildura growers. Transcribed from "The Mildura Cultivator, Victoria", Saturday 26 August 1893
• Interests: 1894, RMS Catalogue of Exhibits 1894 - The Royal Agricultural Society; ,.. ADVERTISEMENTS. PAR-OIDIUM M. A Host Powerful Insecticide, and Guaranteed to DESTROY Oidium Mildew, Vine Parasites. Chlorosis and all Parasitical Insects of Plants, Vegetable Gardens, &c. TESTIMONIALS. GREAT WESTERN, 8th February, 1893. Dear Sirs, In reply to your favour of the 24th ult., we have much pleasure in informing you that we have tried the PAROIDIUM on peach trees, and the result obtained is really very satisfactory. The vines also submitted to this treatment have given great satisfaction. Yours faithfully, (Signed) TROUETTE & BLAMPIED, St. Peter's Vineyard 8th February, 1893. Dear Sirs, Your favour of the 24th ult. duly to hand. I have much pleasure in informing you that I have tried the PAR-OIDIUM on peach trees and the result obtained is really very satisfactory. The vines submitted to this treatment have a fine aspect, and the difference between these and those not treated is remarkable. Yours truly, (Signed) LOUIS METZGER, Bellevue Vineyard, Concongella Creek. St. Peter's Vineyard, Great Western and Bellevue Vineyard, Concongella Creek.
• Interests: 1894, RMS Catalogue of Exhibits 1894 - The Royal Agricultural Society; ADVERTISEMENTS. PAROIDIU M. A Host Powerful Insecticide, and Guaranteed to DESTROY Oidium Mildew, Vine Parasites. Chlorosis and all Parasitical Insects of Plants, Vegetable Gardens, &c. TESTIMONIALS. GREAT WESTERN, 8th February, 1893. Dear Sirs, In reply to your favour of the 24th ult., we have much pleasure in informing you that we have tried the PAROIDIUM on peach trees, and the result obtained is really very satisfactory. The vines also submitted to this treatment have given great satisfaction.?Yours faithfully, (Signed) TROUETTE & BLAMPIED, St. Peter's Vineyard 8th February, 1893. Dear Sirs, Your favour of the 24th ult. duly to hand. I have much pleasure in informing you that I have tried the PAR-OIDIUM on peach trees and the result obtained is really very satisfactory. The vines submitted to this treatment have a fine aspect, and the difference between these and those not treated is remarkable. Yours truly, (Signed) LOUIS METZGER, Bellevue Vineyard, Concongella Creek.
• Interests: 27 Jan 1894, Leader, Melbourne, Victoria; Mr. Metzger, an Alsatian, was the first to establish a vineyard on Doctor?s Creek, in the immediate neighborhood of Great Western After him came Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, who planted vines on the banks of Concongella Creek in the early sixties. They hnd n good local market selling grapes to the diggers. Then they started wine making, and the thirsty gold seekers in the district drank all they could make. This vineyard they named St. Peter's. Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935) Saturday 27 January 1894 - Page 30
• Electoral Roll: 1903, Doctor's Creek, Stawell; VICTORIA ELECTORAL ROLL 1903 Division of Grampians - Polling Place -Parish of Stawell No 117: METZGER, Louis: Place of Living: Doctor's Creek: Occupation: vigneron No 118: METZGER, Jules: Place of Living: Doctor's Creek: Occupation: vigneron
• Death Notice: 17 Mar 1903, Doctors Creek, Stawell; Stawell News & Pleasant Creek Chronicle, Tuesday 17th. March 1903- " It will be learnt with general regret that Mr. Louis Metzger, of Doctors Creek, died yesterday at about one o`clock. The deceased had been ailing for some time, and his demise was not unexpected. He had reached the advanced age of 82 years at the time of his death, and was a very old resident of the district. His wife predeceased him about 11 months ago, and he leaves a grown up family to mourn his loss. The funeral will leave his residence at Doctor`s Creek at 2.30 o`clock tomorrow afternoon".
• Funeral Notice: 17 Mar 1903, Stawell, Victoria; Stawell News& Pleasant Creek Chronicle, Tuesday 17th. March 1903- The friends of the late Mr. Louis Metzger are respectfully invited to follow his remains to the place of interment, the Stawell Cemetery. The funeral is appointed to leave his late residence Doctor`s Creek, TOMORROW (Wendesday) AFTERNOON at half past two 0`clock. F. Crouch, Undertaker
• Obituary: 19 Mar 1903, The Ballarat Star, Victoria; OBITUARY. The death is reported of Mr Louis Metzger, vigneron, of Doctor's Creek, which occurred at his residence on Monday afternoon. Deceased, who was 82 years of age, had been unwell for some time, and gradually growing worse passed quietly away. The deceased gentleman was a very old colonist, and had resided in this district most of the time, being highly respected by all who knew him. Mrs Metzger died about 11 months ago. He leaves a grown up family of one son and two daughters to mourn their loss. The Ballarat Star, Victoria, Thursday, 19 March 1903
• Probate: 28 Mar 1903, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria; NOTICE is hereby given that after the expiration of 14 days from the publication hereof, application will be made to the Supreme Court of the State of Victoria in its Probate jurisdiction that PROBATE of the WILL and codicil thereto of LOUIS METZGER, late of Stawell, in the said state, vigneron, deceased may be granted to Charles Francis Lloyd (In the said will named Charles Lloyd) of Sugarloaf near Great Western, in the said state, farmer, and Angus McLennan, of Doctor's Creek near Stawell aforesaid farmer, the executors named in and appointed by the said will. Dated this 26th day of March 1903 WILLIAM LINDSAY, Main street Stawell, proctor for the applicants. Transcribed from from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria", Saturday, 28 March 1903
• Interests: 21 May 1910, Weekly Times,(Melbourne, Victoria; STAWELL, March 13. The principal industry in this district is fruit and vines. Mr L. Metzer, of Doctor's Creek, about three miles from here, is the pioneer of the vine industry, having started it as far back as the early 60's. Messrs Trouette and Blampied, of Great Western, were the next to begin. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954) Saturday 21 May 1910 - Page 43

Notes:

Pioneer farmers on small lots grew grapes: Louis F. Metzger, a Frenchman, had a small vineyard near Youlden's bridge . He sold his wine in flagons in Stawell, and Mrs. Metzger drove a cobered wagon into town with the produce.
(From Shepherd's Gold, C.E. Sayers, 1966)

It was in the 1850's that vines, sourced from Geelong were first planted in Great Western by Frenchman Louis Metzger. He was shortly followed by fellow immigrants Blampied and Trouette before the more famous brothers Joseph and Henry Best established vineyards and wineries on opposite sides of the main road from Melbourne to Adelaide and adjacent to Concongella Creek. Back then the road was still being used by Cobb & Co. as a stage-route, transporting gold from the area. By the turn of the century there were over 100 vignerons in the district cultivation about 2000 acres of vines.

Louis Metzger named his vineyard Bell Vue.

He showed his wines in the First District Agricultural Show at Stawell,on the 19 Aug 1869, and was successful . He was a Vigneron until his death.


Department of Bas Rhine.
The department is named ("Lower-Rhine") after the river Rhin.
The department is made of Lower-Alsace, to which the cantons of La Petite-Pierre and Sarre-Union, former possessions of the House of Deux-Ponts and Hanau, were added in 1792
The General Council of the department of Bas- Rhin (the former Lower Alsace), also located in Strasbourg, flies the banner of Lower Alsace.
The General Council of Haut- Rhin (the former Upper-Alsace), located in Colmar, flies the banner of Upper-Alsace.

Mollkirch is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France

Mollkirch: the town, its history ...
The town
Mollkirch is a village with a population of 650 situated in the Vosges 40 kilometres to the west of Strasbourg at an altitude of 320 metres. The name Mollkirch is derived from Magel-Kirch, then Mahlkirch, the church of the river Magel. The name Mahlkirch is mentioned as early as 1220. We can deduce that a church already existed at the date.
Mollkirch used to be based on forestry, also agricultural with a few farms. The tradition of sheep breeding still exists in the village, but these animals have been superseded by livery horses. Mollkirch has become popular for its livery stables over the last few years. There are also fruit trees (cherries, mirabelle plums, quetsches (local damsons), apples and walnuts).
Mollkirch still has a large sawmill and a company selling forestry vehicles on its territory, both situated in the Bruche valley outside the village. In the village there is also a carpenter and a joiner.

Mollkirch: History.
The first signs of human life in the area are the Celtic tumuli (dating somewhere from 800BC) which are located in the Bannholz woods just next to the road from Mollkirch to Gresswiller. Excavations were carried out at the beginning of the 20th century and the meagre findings are to be found in the Historical Museum in Haguenau. To find the tumuli, stop on the level plateau as you come from Mollkirch. The tumuli are opposite a group of larches which suffered badly in the Boxing Day 1999 storm.
Gallo-roman remains
The most interesting gallo-roman site within easily walkable distance is the Purpurkopf which can be reached from the Fackenthal campsite. The Purpurkopf is a hilltop fortified by several stone walls with its own well. Do not forgot to visit the Pagan wall at the Mont Saint Odile.
Mediaeval history
The history of Mollkirch is quite rich, as it is closely linked to that of its castle, the Guirbaden, perched high on a strategic point overlooking the Magel valley. From 1225 to the French Revolution Mollkirch belonged to the Bishopric of Strasbourg.
It was indeed in Mollkirch that the peasants revolt began. In March 1525 the inhabitants of Mollkirch rose up against the Rathsamhausen lords.
Mollkirch is a traditionally catholic village with its church dating from 1837. The Klosterie Chapel, dating back to 1135 and a listed historical building, is to be found at the far end of Laubenheim and is by far the oldest building in the village.

Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg (Alsatian, Strossburi; German, Strassburg) is located in the strategical crossroad between the Romanic and Germanic areas, materialized by the Rhine river. Its Latin name, Strateburgum (the City of the Roads) emphasized its importance.




Birth:
The birth date of Louis Metzger is taken from his first marriare record in Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France
Archives départementales du Bas-Rhin
(Latter Day Saints, France Marriages, 1546-1924)

Né le 24 décembre 1820 (dimanche)-Mollkirch,67190,Bas-Rhin,Alsace,FRANCE
Caporal tamboMarriage Certificate of Louis Metzger and Elisabeth Haurie France)
Archives départementales du Bas-Rhin

Born 24 December 1820 (Sunday)-Mollkirch, 67299, Bas Rhin, Alsace, France

Caporal tambour au 65ème Régiment de ligne
Caporal tambour=Drum Corporal

Caporal tambour au 65ème Régiment de ligne Montélimar

Louis, Elisabeth and Marie Louise Metzger left Dieppe, France on the clipper ship Lucie, on 5 Dec 1854 and arrived in Victoria on 7 Mar 1855

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
March 6.-Lucie, French ship, 614 tons, R. Vasselin, from Dieppe 5th December, with 209 second cabin passengers. Montefiore, Graham and Co.,
agents.
Transcribed from "The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria," Wednesday 7 March 1855

By 6 Dec 1855 Louis Metzger was living at Chinaman's flat near Maryborough, Victoria

Victorine Metzger was born on 6 Dec 1855 at Mount Moliagul. Her birth was registered in Maryborough on 11 Nov 1856 by Louis Metzger, Chinaman's Flat, storekeeper.

Jules Metzger Metzger's birth was also registered in Maryborough in 1857

Pleasant Creek Gold Memorial
Granite memorial commemorates the centenary of the discovery of gold at Pleasant Creek in 1853.
Gold was first discovered in Pleasant Creek near this memorial in May 1853, by William McLachlan, a hut keeper (or shepherd) employed by a Dr. Blunden. McLachlan found gold after panning in the Pleasant Creek, which was at that time part of Blunden's Concongella Station.
This small find drew prospectors to the area which resulted in the large gold rush of 1857.
Discoverers of new goldfields were usually rewarded by the Gold Fields Reward Board but McLachlan's claim was disallowed as he was not directly responsible for the later finds.

LOUIS METZGER, Bellevue Vineyard, Concongella Creek

Belle Vue Vineyard in 1861 by Louis Metzger on the banks of the Concongella Creek near the township of Stawell

Eugenie's birth 5 Feb 1863, Pleasant Creek (Stawell)

The Maryborough field opened in 1853, although it is said that the existence of gold in this area was known from 1848. A rush began in July 185

AT GREAT WESTERN.
BY ?THE VAGABOND.?

In the golden days of the late fifties the Great Western Diggings had a population of many
thousands living under canvas. The banks of Concongella Creek proved an Eldorado to many
Only 11 miles from Ararat, it was included in what was known as the "Ararat goldfields"

Mr. H. Clark, late of the Ararat Asylum, was the first to plant vines in this district, on the
slopes of Mount Ararat. But he did not succeed, the grapes did not ripen. In his own words he got "too high."

Mr. Metzger, an Alsatian, was the first to establish a vineyard on Doctor's Creek, in the immediate neighbourhood of Great Western. After him came Messrs. Trouette and Blampied, who planted vines on the banks of Concongella Creek in the early sixties. They had a good local market selling grapes to the diggers. Then they started wine making, and the thirsty gold seekers in the district drank all they could make. This vineyard they named St. Peter's.
Article - Leader
(Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935) Saturday 27 January 1894 - Page 30


History-Made the Grampian Way

The Grampians is one of Australia's oldest wine regions with continuous production dating from the 1860's!

The story begins with the planting of Belle Vue Vineyard in 1861 by Louis Metzger on the banks of the Concongella Creek near the township of Stawell. Louis Metzger emigrated from Alsace, France and arrived in Australia in 1855, no doubt in search of fortune on the Victorian goldfields.

Metzger's industry soon caught on and over the course of the next three decades vineyards flourished around the hills and valleys of the Grampians region. The original St Peter's Vineyard (Great Western) was planted in 1863, the Emerald Vineyard (Ararat) in 1864, and others such as the Ingor Vineyard at Mount Ararat and the Swiss Vineyard at Mount Langi Ghiran all point to a thriving viticultural community. According to a newspaper article published in the Ararat Advertiser, by 1893 the area of vines under cultivation had grown to 2000 acres across the various sub-regions of the Grampians.

Our greatest success story from this period came in the person of Hans Irvine, dubbed by London's Punch magazine, the wine king of Australia. Irvine was a dominant force in the region, purchasing two thirds of the total production and picking up international awards with his Claret, Hock, Chablis, Burgundy, and Hermitage as well as pioneering sparkling production in Australia (NB: these wine names are no longer permitted for Australian produced wines). His own property, Great Western Vineyard, he purchased in 1888 from the estate of Joseph Best and is now the well-known Seppelt Great Western Vineyard. It features the unique underground drives, the most extensive wine cellars in the southern hemisphere, constructed by ex-goldminers.

Quietly working in the background and laying the foundations for one of Australia's most enduring wine brands, was Joseph Best's brother, Henry Best, the founder in 1866 of Best's Great Western Wines. The original wine cellar and one of the rarest collections of wines in the world can be visited today and reflect the pioneering spirit that forged the Grampians Wine Region.

After such a promising start the region suffered a series of setbacks in common with other wine producing regions in Victoria, beginning with the economic depression of the 1890's. This along with droughts and crop failures saw fortunes dwindle and producers move away from winegrapes to other agricultural enterprises. It would take the prodigious talents of an Australian wine legend to forever secure this region's reputation for quality wine production. In 1932 Colin Preece became the manager of the Seppelt Great Western Vineyard and went on to become one Australia's leading lights in the production of sparkling and table wines. In 1953-55 he released Moyston Claret, Chalambar Burgundy, Arawatta Riesling and Rhymney Chablis, each of these wines went on to become classics of their day and herald the modern era of the Australian wine industry.

Preece was followed by modern day legends, Viv Thomson at Bests, Trevor Mast at Mount Langi Ghiran and Ian McKenzie at Seppelt. Together they set down the blueprint for a modern style of Shiraz and in doing so, announced the signature variety for the Grampians region. It is likely that Joseph Best introduced Shiraz to the Grampians region in the 1860?s and while always a consistent performer it has had to suffer the whims and fates of our boom and bust industry. Today it has assumed its rightful place as our hero varietal producing a long-lived medium bodied wine of incredible length and balance, its fine and supple frame overflowing with berry and spice flavours.

As the world continues to shrink and our knowledge of wine grows, new varieties will be planted and new techniques developed to produce wines that excite and challenge the wine loving public. But whatever changes may come you can rely on the pioneering spirit of our founders to live on in our winemakers and grape growers.

Bellviue Vineyard

In the early 1890s, Bellevue was extended to 200 acres, including twenty-eight under vines and fifteen under fruit trees. As a complement to the vineyard, a large cellar had been built, as well as a storeroom of hardwood with double walls to maintain a low and even temperature for the aging process.

Metzger cultivated several different grape varieties,notably the sylvaner, imported from his native country of Alsace. François de Castella stated that he had never seen this type of grape anywhere else before in Victoria, which would indicate that Metzger was the first to introduce it in the colony

Louis Metzger
Shepherd's gold : the story of Stawell. / C.E. Sayers.
Author: Sayers, C. E. (Charles Edward)
Year: 1966

Grapes and gold : glimpses of early Great Western / Arthur Kuehne. - 1980

John Bull's Vineyard: Australian Sketches
By Hubert De Castella

The French in Victoria: Vignerons in the goldfields or gold-diggers in the vineyards. (1850s-1870s
Page 108

Great Western page 112

Louis Metzger

Dunstan, Better than Pommard, 119.

The Stawell Times and Wimmera Advertiser, 4 October 1889, "The Viticultural Industry; 15 April 1891, The Coming Industry."

Journal of the Board of Viticulture for Victoria, 10 March 1892, 78.

Anne Marie and Emile Blampied and Jean Pierre Trouette

Dunstan mentions "Bourthecourt" in the département of Marthe, but this department does not exist. It might be a misspelling in Dunstan's source. It is more likely referring to Burthecourt-aux-Chênes in the département of Meurthe-et-Moselle, which is in Lorraine, north-east France. See Dunstan, Better than Pommard, 119.

Castella, Notes d'un vigneron.41.""Early Victorian Winegrowing."

The Ararat Advertiser, 16 July 1914, 3. Great Western & Trouette Family, from M. F. Trouette's Scrapbook,"A", 1-2, typescript, SLV.

The Ballarat Star, 18 October 1877, 3.

Castella, Notes d'un vigneron.40-49.85Ibid., 43-44

France of the southern hemisphere: transferring a European wine model to colonial Australia Mikaël Pierre

To cite this version: Mikaël Pierre. "France of the southern hemisphere.: transferring a European wine model to colonial Australia. History. Université Michel de Montaigne - Bordeaux III; University of Newcastle (NSW,Australie)


The Age - Oct 20, 1968

Like the Ancient Marriner who drew the wedding guest aside, Ivan Carr a bush lean penisoner from Castlemaine, confronted me before I set out to the Wine Banquet last night.
" Let me tell you about the best vintage of all," said Ivan Carr screwing up his eyes "I was an orphan adopted by Louis Metzger who had a Stawell vinyard. Two racing gents came from Sydney for some of our grapes"

"Father gave them Whaltam cross and muscatel, Lady's Finger and Dorradilla. "What a fiest", said the gent. "Now I'll give you something. Black Murray King in the Sydney Cup".

"Father" ' said, "Please give me ten bob to back Murray King". 'I'll give you nothing' he said. So I packed all my goods on a cart to run away.

"Mother saw this and said, "Give him something father". So he gave me five bob.

I went down to the Stawell Gift-only a shaver-and put the money on the horse".
"Murray King came home at 200 to one. I stuffed the notes in my shirt and ran home, and in the excitement they all fell out at the dinner table."

Ivan Carr began a lifetime of betting the four footed lottery. But he never had another coup like that. "Tell them at Wine week that the 1926 Stawell Grape Crop made the best win of all", said the ancient vintager".

[From Golden to Music, Briefing by Michael Ryan]

Louis Metzger. Possibly Jules Metzger.

STAWELL, March 13.
The principal industry in this district is fruit and vines. Mr L. Metzer, of Doctor's Creek, about three miles from here, is the pioneer of the vine industry, having started it as far back as the early 60's. Messrs Trouette and Blampied, of Great Western, were the next to begin.
Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954) Saturday 21 May 1910 - Page 43



Died:
Information on Death Certificate
Death, 16 March 1903 at Doctors Creek, Shire of Stawell, County of Borung: Louis Metzger, Vigneron, age 82 years. the cause of death was Pneumonia and Bronchitis for 10 days and Heart Desease for several years.
Louis Metzger was born in Mollkirch, France and his parents were Louis Metzger, Farmer and Odile Ramerlocher. The Informant of his death was his son Jules Metzger of Doctor's Creek near Stawell.
Louis was buried on 19 Mar 1903 in Stawell Cemetery, by the Rev Denis R Howell, Roman Catholic Clergyman.
He was married , at age not known, to Eliza Lloyd formally Murray. He was previously married at Strasbourg to Elizabeth Haurie. Age not known.
The childen by his first marriage were, Louis, dead: Marie Louise age 49 years, Victorine, 47 years, Jules 45 years and Eugenie, 40 years. By second marriage, no issue

Note
On Louis Metzger's Marriage record in Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France, his parents are Louis Metzger and Odile Kammerlocher
Latter Day Saints, France Marriages, 1546-1924)

Louis married Élisabeth /Elizabeth Haurie 29 Aug 1854, Strasbourg, Department of Bas, France. Élisabeth (daughter of Henri Haurie and Marie Loustau) was born 24 May 1826, Nablas, Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Department of Bas, France ; died 07 Feb 1868, Pleasant Creek {Stawell}. Victoria, Australia; was buried 09 Feb 1868, Stawell Cemetery, Victoria . [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Emigration: 1855, From France to Victoria, Australia; Louis and Elizabeth Metzger and their daughter Louise, emigrated from Strasbourg, Department of Bas, France, on the French Ship Lucie which sailed from the French Port of Dieppe in Jan 1855 and arrived at the Port of Melbourne on 8 Mar 1855. Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists 1839 -1923 Name: Louis Melzger Estimated birth year: abt 1827 Age: 28 Arrival Date: 8 Mar 1855 Arrival Port: Melbourne, Australia Departure Port: Dieppe Ship: Lucie Index to Unassisted Inward Passenger Lists to Victoria 1852-1923 Family Name First Name Age Month Year Ship Port Fiche Page Family Name: METZGER: First Name: LOUIS: Age: 28: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Family Name: METZGER: ---- WIFE WITH: Age: 28: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011 Family Name: METZGER: ---- INFANT WITH : Age: 1: Month: MAR: Year: 1855: Ship: LUCIE: Port: F: Fiche: 031: Page: 011

Notes:

Birth:
Élisabeth HAURIE
Elizabeth's birthdate is taken from her marriage to Louis Metzger in Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France.
The names of her parents are Pierre Haurie and Marie Loustau
(Latter Day Saints, France Marriages, 1546-1924)

Pierre Henri Haurie

Pierre Haurie= Henri Haurie

A pierre Haurie
HAURIE, Pierre, F, 26.9.1782 Artix
HAURIE, Jean
HÉLIOU, Marie
A Marie Loustau of interest
Born 9 Brumaire year V (30 October 1796) (Sunday) - Uhart-Cize, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Parents
François LOUSTAU 1755-/1808 (Compagnon papetier, boucher)
Marguerite (maitresse de Serroranenia a Uhart-Cize) PERIE ca 1752-1820
François LOUSTAU
Born 20 June 1755 (Friday) - Moumour, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine, France
Deceased before 21 May 1808 - Uhart-Cize, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Compagnon papetier, boucher
Catherine PEINS (Peins dit Baillères Toulouse)
(Catherine PEINS)
Born 1 November 1728 (Monday) - Moumour, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine, France
Married 2 October 1781 (Tuesday), Uhart-Cize, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, to Marguerite (maitresse de Serroranenia a Uhart-Cize) PERIE, born about 1752, Deceased 14 December 1820 (Thursday) - Uhart-Cize, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France aged about 68 years old (Parents : M Jean Pierre (ou dit Peries) PERIE ca 1726-1803 & F Marie (ou Cazeaux) CASAUX ca 1725-1794)





Name:
Elizabeth Haurie was born in Nabas a village and commune of Pyrenees- Atlantiques a department of south-western France.
The department is named after the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.
It was formerly named Basses- Pyrenees (Lower-Pyrénées), and was renamed Pyrenees- Atlantique (Atlantic Pyrénées) because Bass was regarded as derogatory by the inhabitants of the department.



Buried:
Information on Elizabeth's Burial Card.
Age 41 years and 257 days. R.C. Grave No 113.
Her Husband Louis Metzger and his second wife Elizabeth Lloyd are buried in Grave No 113 A [Stawell Cemetery Burial Records]

Died:
Elizabeth died at Pleasant Creek, Victoria on 7 Feb. 1868.(Note: Pleasant Creek was the first name for Stawell)
Elizabeth, aged 42, died of Typhoid Fever which she had for fourteen days.
On her death certificate, the name and occupation of her father is Henry Haurie, occupation, Baker and mother Mary Haurie.
Elizabeth was buried in Pleasant Creek Cemetery on 9 Feb 1868. There was no Minister present.
Elizabeth and Louis were married in Strausbourg, France on 29 Aug 1854. Elizabeth was aged 29 years.
Children listed:
Mary, aged 12 years
Victorine, aged 10 years
Jules, aged 8 years
Eugenie, aged 4 years.

Daughter of Henri Haurie and Marie Loustau

A son named Louis died before they emigrated on the French Ship Lucie from Dieppe, France, arriving at Melbourne in March 1855. Louis, Elizabeth and Louisa were naturalised in 1861. Louis received his certificate on 21 Sep 1861.

Death Registration:
Surname: METZGER: Given Name: Eliizabeth: Event: death: Father: HANRIE Henry: Mother: Mary UNKNOWN: Death Place: STRA: Year: 1868: Reg No 2128 [Pioneer Index, Victoria 1836 -1888]
Note:
On Elizabeth's marriage record to Louis Metzger, the names of her parents are Pierre Haurie and Marie Loustau
Pierre Haurie should be Henri Haurie

Notes:

Married:
Groom's Name: Louis Metzger
Groom's Birth Date: 24 Dec 1820
Groom's Birthplace: Mollkirch, Bas Rhin
Groom's Age:
Bride's Name: Elisabeth Haurie
Bride's Birth Date: 24 May 1826
Bride's Birthplace: Nabas, Basses Pyrenees
Bride's Age:
Marriage Date: 29 Aug 1854
Marriage Place: Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France
Groom's Father's Name: Louis Metzger
Groom's Mother's Name: Odile Kammerlocher
Bride's Father's Name: Pierre Haurie
Bride's Mother's Name: Marie Loustau

Archives départementales du Bas-Rhin

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M83580-6 System Origin: France-EASy Source Film Number: 759123
(Latter Day Saints, France Marriages, 1546-1924)

Union: Acte de mariage N° 325 - METZGER Louis et HAURIE Elisabeth 29 août 1854 - Strasbourg - Registre d'état civil - Mariage - 1854 - Deed - Archives départementales du Bas Rhin - Original aux Archives Municipales de Strasbourg.
(From the Family tree of Corinne Mathilde SIMON, France)

Notes:

Birth:
Delme is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.

Nicolas married Marie Munier 9 Jun 1789, Donjeux, Moselle,Lorraine,France. Marie (daughter of Joseph Munier/Muenier and Barbe Cheerier) was born 16 Aug 1750, Donjeux, Moselle, Lorraine, France; died 11 Sep 1794, Donjeux, Murthe-et- Moselle, Lorraine, France. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Birth:
Donjeux is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.
(Wikipedia)

Died:
Meurthe-et-Moselle (French pronunciation: [m??te m?z?l]) is a department in the Lorraine region of France, named after the Meurthe and Moselle rivers.
Meurthe-et-Moselle was created in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War from the parts of the former departments of Moselle and Meurthe which remained French territory

Notes:

Birth:
Metzger Louis
Naissance :
1795, Bas-Rhin
Décès : 1823,Bas-Rhin
Source : Arbres Généalogiques

Louis Metzger, Journalier
Odille Kammerlocher, Journalière (Wife)

Louis Metzger, Journalier
Parents



Died:
Name Louis Metzger
Age 29
Event Date 24 Nov 1823
Event Place Bas-Rhin, France
Event Type Death Registration
Death Date 1823
Birth Year (Estimated) 1794
Father's Name Caspart Metzger
Mother's Name Teresse Boxberger
Spouse's Name Odile Kammerlacher
"France, Bas-Rhin, Parish and Civil Registration, 1525-1912", database, FamilySearch

Louis married Odile Kammerlocher 1 Feb 1819, Mollkirch, Deptartment of Bas - Rhin, Alase, France . Odile (daughter of François Antonie Kammerlocher and Sophie Leitz) was born 5 Oct 1795, Mollkirch, Department of Bas - Rhin, Alsace, France ; died 12 Jul 1832, Mollkirch, Department of Bas - Rhin, Alsace, France . [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Birth:
On Louis Metzger's second marriage certificate in Victoria, Australia, Odile Kammerlocher is spelt Ramerlocher, also on his death Certificate.

Died:
Death Date is from dobertr's Family Tree
Family Tree owner : dobertr
Grendelbruch

Name Odile Kammerlocher
Sex Female
Age 37
Event Date 12 Jul 1832
Event Place Bas-Rhin, France
Event Type Death Registration
Death Date 1832
Birth Year (Estimated) 1795
Father's Name Antoine Kammerlocher
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Sophie Leitz
Mother's Sex Female
Spouse's Name Louis Metzger
"France, Bas-Rhin, Parish and Civil Registration, 1525-1912", database, FamilySearch

Notes:

Birth:
Pierre Henri Haurie

Henri — Marie Loustau. Marie was born France; died France. [Group Sheet]