Obituaries Australia

Edwin Blomfield, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 15 March 1913

The late Mr. Edwin Cordeaux Blomfield, manager of Salisbury Court Station, Uralla, N.S.W, a well-known figure in pastoral circles, passed away on the 24th of last month. The deceased was born on 25th November, 1835, at Denham Court, Liverpool, N.S.W., and he was the seventh son of Lieut. Thomas Valentine Blomfield, who went through the Peninsular War under the Duke of Wellington, and came to Australia with his regiment—the 48th—about 1818. He was educated at the King's School, Parramatta, and on leaving school joined some of his brothers at Coolamatong, near Buckley's Crossing, Snowy River, N.S.W. From Coolamatong he went to Lue, near Mudgee, where he gained most of his knowledge in connection with the management of sheep. His next step was the purchase of Miriam Vale, in the Port Curtis district, Queensland, in partnership with the late Mr. E. K. Cox. This property was then stocked with sheep, for which they soon found that the country was not suitable, so they stocked up with cattle, Miriam Vale afterwards gaining a high reputation among the Shorthorn herds in Queensland.

In 1875 Messrs. Blomfield and Cox took up Evesham, sent half the cattle out there, and dissolved partnership, Edwin Blomfield retaining Miriam Vale and E. K. Cox Evesham.

On the 19th February, 1863, he married Miss Catherina Marsh, eldest daughter of the late Mr. C. W. Marsh, of Salisbury Court, New England. A year or two later he left Miriam Vale in charge of Mr. Alfred Witt, and took the management of Rawdon Station, Mudgee, N.S.W., remaining there eighteen months. Then he went to New England, where he took up the management of Boorolong Station. On the death of Mr. C. W. Marsh he became the general manager of Salisbury and Boorolong Stations, which position he retained till his death. He made these two stations into fine properties, and with a recipe obtained from the late Dr. James Cox, of Sydney, has held the reputation of being the first to drench sheep with arsenic in the New England district, if not in the whole of Australia.

The celebration of his golden wedding was held five days before his death. He leaves a widow, eight sons and four daughters to mourn his loss.