Obituaries Australia

The death occurred at his residence, "Cotehele," Anson Street, at 8 o'clock on Wednesday morning, of Mr. Edwin Hurst Lane, the last surviving member of the oldest pioneering family in the Orange district, at the age of 81 years. A few days ago he contracted influenza, but on Tuesday evening he was much improved and no serious consequences were feared. However, his heart system was weakened, and his heart failed. He was the youngest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Lane, and was born at Orton Park, near Bathurst, on February 23, 1845. His parents first settled in Australia 103 years ago, coming from the Old Country in company with the late William and Mrs. Tom. They made residence at Tarana, shifted soon after to the Bathurst district, and from thence in the twenties to Orange. The late Mr. William Lane then built Rosehill and Clifton Grove, and later Clifton Vale, a house which once stood close to the Rosehill homestead, but has long since disappeared. When 21 years of age, Mr. E. H. Lane succeeded to Orton Park, and sold it the same day to the late Mr. Charles Pilcher, father of Mrs. Walter McPhillamy, of Orton Park and Mrs. G. de V. Pilcher, of Orange. Soon after his transaction the deceased went to New Zealand, where he resided with a brother for about twelve months, returning from there to purchase Wambangalong from the late Mr. Duncan McKillop, about 59 years ago, and resided there until the early eighties. In 1883 he purchased "Llanello," (now Croagh Patrick), and built the handsome residence which is now being used as a college. Other residences of Mr. and Mrs. Lane in this district were Narrambla, Suma Park, Beuna Vista, and Cotehele, formerly owned by his late brother, Mr. John Tom Lane, for many years Police Magistrate at Orange. Of the real sterling pioneer type, Mr. E. H. Lane was one of those who blazed the way for the future prosperity of the Orange district by sheer grit and determination. He was a man of fine qualities, and universally admired. As a worker, he always showed the way to his men, and very few could keep up to him in a day's work. Ever a lover of the equine, he was in the early days a noted track rider, and he had been known to walk miles, on more than one occasion to ride some unruly buckjumper that had defied the efforts of many others to conquer. In fact, he was known as the best rough rider in the west. He was a prominent figure at all the shows of the eastern portion of the State, and won many prizes with his buggy horses and ladies' hacks. He was also a noted pastoralist, and a keen judge of sheep and stock. Up to within the last six years, the deceased's love for the saddle remained, and he could often be seen on the back of a well set-up horse. He was one of the many who were hit badly by the silver boom at Lewis Ponds in the very early days. At one time he could have cleared £30,000, but such was his faith in the mine that he hung on, to ultimately lose a big sum. Some little time ago, he mentioned to a friend who was discussing with him the present standard value of gold, that he had handled some of that metal which had cost him some £500 per ounce. With the passing of Mr. Lane departs a well-loved and familiar figure in Orange, a whole-hearted, generous and active citizen. Mrs. E. H. Lane predeceased her husband in November last, her demise seriously affecting him, and he had expressed the hope that the time would be short before he joined in death his life's partner. The family consists of Percy, well-known athlete, deceased; Leslie Allen Lane, solicitor, Orange; Mrs. Read, wife of Dr. Reid, Superintendent of Quarantine, Watson's Bay; Fred Lane, Dubbo, Norman Lane, Wambangalong; Mrs. H. W. K. Mackenzie, Orange; Lisle, killed in France, 1917: and Mrs. Eric Sweet, Parkes. A son, Lionel, died at an early age. The brothers and sisters of the deceased are: John Tom Lane, William Lane (New Zealand), Mrs. Catherine Soares, Mrs. M. T. L. Dale, Mrs. Jane Evans, Mrs. Lewis, Nicholas Oliver Lane, Thomas Tom Lane, Charles Wesley Lane, Frederick Lewis Lane, and James Barrett Lane.