Obituaries Australia

James Lavender, n.d.

from Australasian Pastoralists' Review, 15 December 1899

We regret to announce the death of Mr. James Smith Lavender, of Messrs. Wilkinson and Lavender, which took place at Sydney on 17th November, at the age of 71, after a long and painful illness borne with great fortitude.

The following account of Mr. Lavender's career is taken from the Riverina Grazier:—"He was the son of Mr. John Lavender, yeoman, of Biddenham, Bedfordshire, England. He was educated at the Bedford Grammar School (the Harper Trust), and afterwards at 'Apsley Guise.' On leaving school, he was attracted to Australia by the accounts of the Victorian gold discoveries, and in 1852 he sailed from Plymouth for Melbourne armed with splendid introductions from many in England who had large interests in Victoria, notable amongst them being Rothschild. A short visit to the goldfields proved sufficient, and he returned to Melbourne, and at Oakwood Park, near Dandenong, spent some years in stock raising, cattle and horses being the principal stock of the holding. In 1863 he, with Mr. R. B. Wilkinson in partnership, purchased in Riverina the Marrah and Temora Stations, near Wagga Wagga, where, in conjunction with squatting, the partners also carried on a very extensive business in dealing in sheep and cattle. After many vicissitudes, caused through drought and floods, this undertaking was honorably wound up in the drought of 1868, to the disastrous effects of which Mr. Lavender was one of the victims. He and his partner next engaged in business as stock and station agents in Wagga Wagga. The firm extended its operations to Hay and Sydney, and later on to Bourke. Several changes in the constitution of the firm have taken place, but both Messrs. Wilkinson and Lavender have always been in it, and as Wilkinson and Lavender the business is still carried on at Hay and Sydney today. He was also at the time of his decease a partner in Wheogo Station, Grenfell, New South Wales, with Mr. R. B. Wilkinson and Mr. T. M. Chapman. Mr. Lavender took up his residence in Hay in 1878, when he assumed the personal management of the Riverina part of the business. He and his family have been resident there since that date, and have been identified with the life of the town and district. Than Mr. Lavender no one was held in higher esteem. The deceased gentleman did good, if unobtrusive, work for the district. As a member of the Hay Pastoral Association he rendered yeoman service, and his place in that society will be exceedingly hard to fill. As a magistrate he never shirked the discharge of onerous duty, and he won the confidence of all classes by his impartiality and tact. By the death of Mr. Lavender one of the identities of the district has been removed from our midst -one who was ever amongst the foremost in upholding the best interests of the community; one who was ever considerate of and kindly disposed towards those with whom he was associated; one who was ever on hospitable thoughts intent; one whose memory will live in the hearts of his many friends; and one who bore without reproach 'the grand old name of gentleman."'