Category Archives: People

William Henry Slater – An Australian Pioneer

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This biography has been kindly provided by a descendant of William Slater.

William Henry Slater seated

born 1832 – died 1894

WILLIAM HENRY SLATER, the eldest son of Daniel and Elizabeth Slater was born 1832 in Mitcham, Surrey, England.

William’s father, Daniel Slater was described as ‘being from’ Blackfriars, London, and his mother was ‘from Mitcham’, Surrey. William’s father Daniel married Elizabeth Betsy Summers in 1831.

The 1846 English Tithe Commutation Survey showed that William’s father, Daniel Slater rented two plots of land, totalling approximately one acre. One of his plots of land was in Love Lane, Mitcham, Surrey where he had a cottage and raised his large family.

Thirteen of the children have been identified but it is assumed that there were many more children who probably did not survive childhood.

The 1851 English Census for Mitcham, Surrey, recorded that both Daniel and his eighteen year old son William were gardeners. ‘Gardener’ was the general term used for growers of physic herbs, either as smallholders, or workers on major herb farms. William and his younger brother Benjamin both worked for James Moore, of Potter and Moore – the best known of all of Mitcham’s herb growers. It was here that William learnt his craft.

In the August of 1857 William married Harriet Bewsey. He was 25. The following year on 18 April 1858 William and Harriet had a daughter also called Harriet. But by September of the same year William had emigrated from England to Australia arriving in December of 1858 on the Roxburgh Castle.

William’s wife Harriet committed suicide in 1859 a year after the daughter was born. An inquest was held, and the newspaper report at the time can be read here. The daughter, Harriet Elizabeth Slater is recorded on the 1861 census at the age of 3 living with her grandparents Daniel & Elizabeth Slater.

At around the age of 26 William made the decision to leave England and he left Plymouth, England in the September of 1858 aboard the Roxburgh Castle arriving in Melbourne in the December of the same year.

‘The Times’ of 28 Feb. 1853 reported the arrival off Portland of the ‘Roxburgh Castle’, on Saturday 26 Feb., ‘with 70 passengers and a large freight of gold’ from her maiden voyage to Port Phillip, Melbourne, Australia. Unfortunately, many years later the Roxburgh Castle was lost on the Goodwin Sands (ran aground) on 5 January 1872 on her way out to Melbourne.

William spent some years in the gold fields before returning to Melbourne to settle at Air Hill as it was then known and he was instrumental in changing the name of Air Hill to Mitcham, its present name. The then heavily timbered land on the south bank of the Koonung Creek, a few miles out of Melbourne was chosen to set up his physic garden and the access to this land was by two dirt tracks, now known as Surrey and Springfield Roads.

He became one of the founding fathers of the township of Mitcham, now a suburb in the City of Whitehorse. With pride (or a sense of humour!) here he built a single story house with a corrugated iron roof which he named ‘Mitcham Grove’ – inspired no doubt by the memory of banker Henry Hoare’s grand house on the banks of the River Wandle back home in Mitcham, Surrey.

A colour painting of Mitcham Grove can be found on the Merton Memories website.

Daniel (William’s brother) arrived in Melbourne in 1875 but with his early demise at the age of 27 in 1876 and also that of son William Slater Jnr. at the age of 31 in 1897, there was no one to take on the business when William retired two years before his death in 1894.

William’s second and third children were born in Australia before his second marriage. Elizabeth Rose Slater was born in 1859 but only lived 4 weeks. Mary was born in 1861. In 1864, at the age of 32 William married Mary Ann Cresswell. The delay in his second marriage could have been due to many reasons, he may have been away working in the gold fields or indeed the news of Harriet’s death in 1859 may have taken some time to reach him. After the birth of his first daughter Harriet born 1858 in Mitcham, Surrey and the two daughters mentioned above, William had 2 other children, William Henry in 1866 and Elizabeth Rockcliffe in 1869.

Mary Ann Slater nee Cresswell

Mary Ann Slater nee Cresswell

About 1862 William Slater began growing medicinal herbs. His first peppermint and lavender root stocks were obtained from England. With the help of a £25 Government Grant for establishing a new industry, he soon had nine acres of peppermint and one acre of lavender under cultivation. The venture became a financial success and in 1865 he exhibited a collection of essential oils in Dublin for which he gained a medal and a certificate. In 1866 he received a medal in Melbourne and another in Paris in 1867. Also, in 1866 at the Melbourne Exhibition he exhibited a sample of opium, which, after analysis, was considered equal to anything produced elsewhere. At the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition of 1888 he gained a ‘First’ for his essential oils because his lavender oil was considered to be ‘inferior only to the Mitcham (England) oil and superior to the French oil.’ His peppermint oil was equally successful.

As a practical distiller of oils he joined Mr Bosisto, a chemist of Richmond in the production of eucalyptus oil. Later William started his own distilling business and produced ‘Eucalyptus Amygdalina Oil’, better known as ‘Possum Brand’. (AMYGDALE, pronounced amidal, is French for tonsil.) Its successful use at the Melbourne Hospital for medical purposes led to it being regularly exported to London until his death in 1894. A more recent family story related that some oil was also sent to the USA, for the manufacture of paint.

The evidence William gave to the 1890 Royal Commission on Vegetable Products, Perfume Plants and Essential Oils was detailed and valuable and with that unselfishness which was characteristic of him, said “I believe there would be room for a dozen people to start the same line, and more than that.” As the orchard continued to expand it was often used for University Field Days. ‘The Slaters’ welcomed all visitors to ‘Mitcham Grove’, but William gave a special welcome to the young students from the College for whom he would ‘unfold his vast store of practical knowledge, both in the fields amongst his herbs, and in the laboratory among his preparations.’ These field days were continued by William’s descendants until the orchard was subdivided for building blocks, in the early to mid-twentieth century.

Unfortunately herbs grown for medicinal purposes were unprofitable due to local prejudice and a preference for German herbs. As a result William planted fruit trees which became even more profitable when he began to dry the fruit for the markets. His great Grandson, Harry Pearce, who in 1924 owned the orchard, planted cherry trees and it was this fruit that was sold to MacRobertson’s chocolate factory to manufacture ‘Cherry Ripe’ chocolate bars.

William Henry retired two years before his death at his home in Barnes Road, Blackburn on 23 May 1894 aged 62 years after being ill for six months. The cause of his death was stomach cancer. Mary Ann, his wife, died 12 August 1912, aged 83 years (as inscribed on the tombstone) but later evidence revealed that she was in her 81st year

The obituary written for the Australian Journal of Pharmacy, June 1894, pgs 272-3, describe Mr Slater as being a retiring contented and happy man with a homely disposition who loved his work. It also stated ‘although he never craved for wealth or fame in the pursuit of his business, he still acquired a reputation in his own particular line, and at the same time gained modest competency.’

William Slater’s Herb List:

Southernwood poor beards Rue croup, sciatica
Insects comfrey sprains and bruises Hyssop debility, rheumatism
Danzie worms, fevers, lumbago Mullein throats, lungs, catarrh
Chamomile tonic the system, cramps, the hair Wormwood stomachs upsets, nerves
Lavender faintness, nerves, headaches Horehound chests, asthma tonic
Elder skin sores, boils etc. Feverfew insect bites
Lemon balm aches of teeth, eyes, heart Spearmint giddiness, weak stomachs
Sage sore throats, liver, kidneys Strawberry leaves eczema, blood disorders
Mint indigestion, palpitations, headaches

1859 Suicide of Harriet Slater

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From the South Eastern Gazette of Tuesday April 5th, 1859

SUICIDE AT MITCHAM UNDER MELANCHOLY CIRCUMSTANCES

An inquest was held last week at the Nag’s Head public-house, before W. Carter, Esq., touching the death of Harriet Slater, aged 27. The enquiry was a lengthened one, and has excited considerable interest in the neighbourhood. The chief facts are as follow : —

Deceased is the wife of one William Henry Slater, who worked in what are called the “physic grounds” here. Before she was married she lived in the service of Mr. Abel Garraway, at Glebelands House, whose service she left when she got married. Towards the latter end of last August her husband formed an intimacy with the daughter of a beer-house keeper named Cresswell, and went away with her, and from enquiries made by the officers of the Odd Fellows Society at Mitcham, it is believed they went to Australia, he thereby deserting his wife and an infant child. Mr. Garraway again took deceased into his service, and with the exception of occasionally deploring tbe absence of her husband, and expressing a hope that she should once more see him, she appeared to be very happy. On Tuesday morning last a young woman named Mary Gould went with some milk to Glebelands House, as usual, shortly before eight o’clock, and rang the bell, but could not make any one hear. She went again about nine o’clock, and afterwards about half-past nine, but was unsuccessful in obtaining admission, and she then went and told Mrs. Slater (deceased’s husband’s mother) of the circumstance. Ultimately, by dint of throwing dirt up at one of the windows, Miss Garraway, who resides with her father, was aroused, and came to enquire what was the matter. Mary Gould, Miss Garraway, and another female, went into the bedroom of deceased, where they found the bed-clothes much disturbed, but deceased was not there. Upon looking in a passage which led to another part of the house, however, they discovered her lying dead, in her night clothes. Mr. Crouch, surgeon, was immediately sent for, and upon searching the bed-room, discovered a cup and spoon upon the table, the former haring a white sediment at the bottom. There was also a paper, without any label, containing a white powder. Under the pillow of deceased’s bed were found two sealed envelopes, the superscription of each being in deceased’s handwriting, and a portrait of her husband.

A woman named Susannah Spencer deposed that she went to Mr. Garrawav’s on Monday evening, to pay her rent. When deceased let her in at the gate, she was crying, and witness asked her what was the matter? The reply was that she was in trouble about her husband, and should like to see him once more. Witness stopped in the kitchen with deceased for nearly an hour, during which time deceased three times said “ she hoped if she went to bed that night, she should never get up any more and afterwards that if she did get up alive she would make away with herself in some way or another. Witness told her to cheer up, and think of her dear child ; and when she left the house she appeared to be in much better spirits.

Mr. Crouch, having, under the direction of the coroner, made a post mortem examination, proved that deceased’s death was caused by arsenic, and that the cup found upon the table in her dressing-room contained a solution of the same poison.

The Coroner said he was unwilling to cause any interference in private family matters, unless absolutely necessary. He therefore left it to the jury whether he should open the letters that were found under the pillow. The jury were unanimously of opinion that they should be opened. One envelope was directed “ For my dearly be loved husband, from his poor wife.” The enclosure was very closely written, and breathed a spirit of the most ardent affection of deceased for her husband. It was dated March 27th, and commenced by stating that her dear child was born that day twelve months, from which time its unhappy mother had scarcely known one minute’s peace of mind. She, however, had been a good mother to her dear child, a good wife to her husband, and she thanked God for it. She did hope to see her husband once more, and to live with him in a little cottage of their own, with their dear child by their side. If such should never be the case, she would never marry again, as she had given her heart to her husband, and she would never give her hand to another. Under the fold of the envelope was written “ Pray God protect my child.” On the other envelope was written “ From my dear husband.” Its contents were a brief letter from her husband, which it appeared had been forwarded by him to his mother, and thence to deceased. It was as follows:—“ Give my love to my mother, brothers, and sisters, and accept the same from your very wicked, cruel husband, Wm, Henry Slater.” It was headed Jersey Islands, and dated September.

Neither Mr. Garraway nor his daughter had the slightest idea of deceased contemplating self-destruction, nor could it be ascertained where the arsenic was obtained; The only assumption being that as deceased’s husband had been in the habit of stuffing birds, and as she had treasured up everything that belonged to him, the arsenic might thus have come into her possession.

The room having been cleared, the jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict that deceased destroyed herself whilst suffering under “ Temporary derangement.”

Eric Montague wrote on page 128 of “Mitcham Histories 14 : Upper Mitcham and Western Road”, that William Slater emigrated to Australia and

on the banks of the Koonung Creek a few miles out of Melbourne, he set up on his own as a physic gardener, and became one of the founding fathers of the township of Mitcham, district in the City of Nunawading. With pride he called the single story house with a corrugated iron roof in which he lived Mitcham Grove, inspired no doubt for the memory of banker Henry Hoare’s house on the banks of the Wandle back home in Mitcham, Surrey.