Walter Skelton
Walter_Skelton (ANA Chief President)
Born1864
Scarsdale
Died11 May 1929(1929-05-11) (aged 65)
Bendigo Cemetery, Victoria
Burial placeBendigo Victoria
Occupation(s)Draper and Tailor
PartnerMarie Riedle
ChildrenAugust Vaughan 1886

Alice Victoria 1888

Arthur Philip 1889

Xavier 1891

Henrietta Cecily 1896
Parent(s)John Cahill and Mary Deehan

Walter Skelton (February 1864 – May 1929) was an accountant, businessman, draper, Magistrate, breeder of fine poultry, and Chief President of the Australian Natives' Association (ANA).

Early years

Walter Skelton was born in Scarsdale, Victoria, on 5 February 1864, the son of Walter Skelton and Maria Moyle.[1] His parents were sufficiently prosperous to educate him at Wesley College[2] in Melbourne. In 1883 his father, also a draper, died in Dunolly.[3] In 1885 he tendered for a new house to be built.[4] On 11 March 1887 at Collingwood he married Grace Elizabeth Threlkeld[1] in her parents' house.[5] Their son, Walter, was born in 1888 and passed away within 5 month.[1] Then in 1890 they had a daughter, Ida Frances, who lived a full life.[1]

Business

Walter Skelton Poultry - Dunolly - Advertisement 1900

Skelton was an accountant and also a businessman; in 1900 the Weekly Times reported that ‘At Dunolly he carries on business as a merchant, and is a leading public man’.[2][6] He ran one of the drapery businesses in Dunolly until 1910 when he offered it for sale by tender.[7]

He was a breeder of fine poultry ‘who delights in the feather hobby’ – Indian Game, Black Orpingtons and Langshams.[8] Over the first decade of the 20th century Skelton entered many poultry competitions and either won his class or was well placed nearly every year from 1902 to 1910.[9][10][11][12][13][14][15] While he delighted in the hobby, it was also a business as he sold poultry and fertilised eggs.[16] The eggs had a warranty on their fertility or immediate replacement.[16]

Skelton invented and applied for a patented on an improved combination water tank and cool chamber in 1896.[17] In 1900 his solicitor wrote to the Herald newspaper in Melbourne requesting publication of the letter to clarify to the public his patent another claimed inventor.[18] The letter advises that Skeltons invention had previously been published in "The Scientific Australian".[18]

Community

Skelton was appointed a lieutenant in the Victorian Rangers, the Colony of Victoria's volunteer infantry in November 1889.[19]

He was a member of the Dunolly Borough Council, being first elected unopposed in an extraordinary election in 1894.[20] While 1900 was the third year in succession he was elected Mayor of the borough of Dunolly.[2]

Skelton was a Justice of the Peace (JP).[21][22] On 16 October 1901 he was appointed a magistrate, ‘to keep the peace in the Midland Bailiwick of Victoria’.[23]

Australian Natives' Association

Skelton was a founding member and the first Vice President of the Dunolly ANA Branch No. 33 in June 1885.[24] Dunolly was one of the flourishing gold fields towns where there was a rich source of members needing the support of a Friendly Society such as the ANA.[24] The branch grew steadily while the gold held out.[24] Skelton attended his first annual ANA conference in 1886 and was a regular attendee thereafter.[25] At the 1900 conference he was elected Chief President after a strong challenge from James Liddell Purves a previous Chief President and a capable and charismatic speaker.[26][27]

Skelton was the board of directors’ candidate for the presidency at the 1900 ANA annual conference in Geelong.[26] He was opposed by Purves, who had the backing of a number of metropolitan branches.[26] Skelton was ‘not one of the orators of the association’, rather a hard worker on its behalf.[26] He defeated Purves soundly, probably because it was widely believed that Purves was intending to use the ANA to enter federal politics.[26] Skelton's presidency was not marked by controversy or rancorous debate.

His election as Chief President also meant he was to host the 1900 Intercolonial Conference of ANA.[25] He also saw the culmination of almost 20 years of work by the ANA to bring about the federation of the six Australian Colonies into the Commonwealth of Australia.[25] Skelton was the head of a maturing organisation that now had an average membership age of nearly 30 years.[28] This is 10 years older than it was in the 1880s, it was also something that would keep growing.[28]

Skelton was also involved in the opening of the Carngham ANA Branch No. 198 opened in 1900.[29]

In appreciation of his services Skelton was presented with a gold medal studded with six diamonds stars.[25]

In his address to the 1901 ANA Conference Skelton made the following points:

  • Referring to the death of Queen Victoria he said few received affection from world as she had;[30]
  • Referring to the planned interstate conference of ANA boards of directors he urged:
    • Federating the Australian Natives’ Association;[30]
    • Subscriptions for members serving in the South African conflict he said treat it in a business like manner rather than a sentimental spirit;[30]
  • Commended the principles of the old age pension;[30]
  • Recognised the achievement of federation of the Australian Colonies;[30]
  • Challenged members to study the great national questions;[30]
  • observed that the ANA had been called a nursery for politicians while the ANA is apolitical and non religious and that politicians in its ranks represented all shades of opinion.[30]

Later Years

Skelton died in Essendon on 11 May 1929.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 From Births Deaths and Marriages via Ancestry.Com
  2. 1 2 3 "The Herald (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 17 March 1900. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE NLA. 2 March 1883. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. ↑ Skelton, Walter (9 September 1885). "Bendigo Advertiser". TROVE NLA. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Argus". TROVE NLA. 30 April 1887. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  6. ↑ Weekly Times 24 March 1900, p.15
  7. ↑ "The Argus Melbourne". TROVE NLA. 11 July 1910. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  8. ↑ Leader 9 June 1900, p.11; 1 September 1900, p.11
  9. ↑ "Weekly Times (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 26 July 1902. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "Weekly Times". TROVE NLA. 30 July 1904. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Weekly Times (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 13 May 1905. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Weekly Times (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 7 July 1906. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "Weekly Times (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 6 July 1907. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  14. ↑ "Weekly Times (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 24 April 1909. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  15. ↑ "Weekly Times (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 23 July 1910. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Weekly Times (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 7 July 1900. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  17. ↑ Skelton, W. (18 February 1896). "The Herald (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  18. 1 2 Nolan, H. J. (9 September 1901). "The Herald (Melbourne Vic)". Trove NLA. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "The Argus". TROVE NLA. 2 November 1889. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  20. ↑ "The Age (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 29 January 1894. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  21. ↑ "The Ballarat Star". TROVE NLA. 2 November 1898. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  22. ↑ "The Argus (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 10 April 1901. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  23. ↑ "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 16 October 1901. Retrieved 19 May 2001.
  24. 1 2 3 Menadue, J. E. (1971). A Centenary History of the Australian Natives' Association 1871 - 1971. Melbourne: Horticultural Press. p. 46.
  25. 1 2 3 4 Menadue, J. E. (1971). A Centenary History of the Australian Natives' Association 1871 - 1971. Melbourne: Horticultural Press. p. 353.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Australasian (Melbourne Victoria)". TROVE NLA. 17 March 1900. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  27. ↑ "Geelong Advertiser". TROVE NLA. 10 March 1900. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  28. 1 2 Aveling, Marian (1970). A History of The Australian Natives Association 1871-1900. Melbourne: Department of History, Monash University - Thesis. p. 414.
  29. ↑ Menadue, J. E. (1971). A Centenary History of the Australian Natives' Association 1871 - 1971. Melbourne. p. 76.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Bendigo Independent". TROVE NLA. 13 March 1901. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
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