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William Kendrell Platt (1835–1918)

The following paragraphs are from the Ballan Times and will be of interest to residents of the Warburton district:

"It is with extreme regret that we record the death of Mr. William Kendrell Platt, which took place at his residence, Blakeville, on Thursday last. He had reached the ripe old age of 83 years, and, like many of the old pioneers, was a man of wonderful constitution. Born at Bath, U.S.A., in 1835, he landed in Melbourne with his father in 1853. Mining was at its height, and Ballarat was the first field he worked on. He was at Ballarat when Bentley's hotel was burned down and saw Bentley escape on a horse barebacked. He and twenty other miners came in from Creswick the day before the historical Eureka riot, but he took no part in the actual fighting. He followed mining with varying success at Ballarat, Creswick, Castlemaine, Bendigo and other places for some years, and then worked at the sawmills, at Bolwarrah, finally arriving at Blakeville in 1868. He was employed by the late Mr. E. Blake at his sawmills, but as the mills only worked in the summer time, he followed mining at Blackwood during the winter. For the past 27 years he had led a quiet life. Mrs. Platt, who is 82 years, still resides at Blakeville, but is very frail. There were thirteen in the family, ten sons and three daughters, the first four sons and one daughter dying at Ballarat from diphtheria, and from that time until old Mr. Platt's demise (a period of 57 years) there had not been another death in the family. The family, with whom every sympathy is expressed, comprises: Mr Charles Platt, of Blakeville, Messrs. Robert and Benjamin Platt, of Warburton, sawmillers (R. Platt &S: Co.); Messrs. Lebonard and James Platt of Warburton, sawmillers (Platt Bros.); Mr. William Platt, foreman for Millers Bros., Western Australia; Mrs George Arnup and Mrs W. Watts, both of whom reside in WA. Five grandchildren enlisted, two having made the supreme sacrifice. The funeral took place to the Ballan new cemetery, and was largely attended, the Rev. W. E. Kaneen officiating. The coffin-bearers were: Messrs. C., R., B., L., and J. Platt (sons of deceased) and H. Arnup; the pall being supported by Messrs. M. Lorkin, A. T. Blake, W. Corcoran, E. T. Lay, H. George, J. Cowell, J. H. Walsh, A. P. Blake, M. O'Hehir, R. Shankland, S. Lay, D. K. Fraser, W. E. White, H. Hyatt, W. Elliott, T Spratling. J. Kennedy, J. Hanrahan, A. Lilburn, T. Lay.

Original publication

Citation details

'Platt, William Kendrell (1835–1918)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/platt-william-kendrell-15200/text26396, accessed 28 March 2024.

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