Obituaries Australia

Lewis Bell, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 16 February 1927

Lewis Bell, of Alma Station, Booligal, N.S.W., died at his residence, Murrnong, Albury, on 28th December, 1926, aged 73 years.

He had been associated with the Lower Lachlan district for over half a century. Born in Dumfriesshire, he was educated at Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh, and in 1871 left Scotland for Australia with his uncle, Major John Bell, popularly known as "Big Bell" in the Western District of Victoria.

Soon after his arrival in Australia he went to Warrambeen Station, in Victoria, where he gained colonial experience under the late Alexander Armstrong. In 1873 he went to Merungle Station, New South Wales, to take delivery of the cattle when John Bell and Co. bought that property from the Broads. Some time afterwards when the same company bought Moolbong, also in New South Wales he managed the property. On 1st June, 1876, when Alma Station, Booligal, was purchased by Alexander Armstrong and Co., he went there as managing partner and retained that position until his death.

The well-known Alma flock owes its present high standard to his personal supervision over a period of almost fifty years.

In 1924 he left the active management of Alma in the hands of his son John and took up his residence at Murrnong, formerly known as Egelabra, in the Albury district devoting his attention to the establishment of a stud Merino flock there.

Mr. Bell's hobby was coursing, and his influence was always directed to keeping that sport fair and clean. He imported several greyhounds from Scotland.

He married the eldest daughter of the late Alexander Armstrong, and is survived by his wife and a large family.

Of his five sons one, Alexander Armstrong Bell, was killed in action at Mouquet Farm in 1916, three are managing the pastoral properties Alma, Bredbo, Mohonga and Murrnong, in New South Wales, and another is a surgeon in Sydney.