A Land Fit for Heroes?

Either … [the sheep] are given away on the local market, or are kept here and I skin them as they die

Blomfield’s block was in the County of Monteagle, Parish of Wambanumba, Land District of Young and consisted of 543 acres.  It was a Settlement Purchase No.1911/2.[1] Around March 1919 Blomfield took delivery of 160 ewes with the property.  It was poor land, barely fit to carry a single sheep to an acre.[2]

Blomfield’s farm was transferred to him from F.A. Newman.[3] Before taking up the property from Newman, Blomfield had applied for other properties all of which had been rejected by the Repatriation Department. He applied for an Advance of £500 in February 1919. There were problems about him receiving this Advance and before it could be approved, the SS Branch required that he mortgage the property as a form of security.  He took over the current property using money he had borrowed privately.   Blomfield asked to be put on the same footing as other men who had taken up a block as a Group Settlement and requested that instead of the land, that stock and implements be used as security.[4] The Director of SS replied stating that ‘all advances were required to be secured as a first mortgage and applied to all cases even those under Group Purchase’.[5] By September 1919 Blomfield was running 487 sheep and had begun the enormous task of fencing.[6]

By January 1920 Blomfield was having some difficulty on his block largely due to lack of rain.  He wrote to the SS Branch outlining three options to aid his survival,

Either … [the sheep] are given away on the local market, or are kept here and I skin them as they die, or I obtain relief country through you.  Better settlements in different district, it seemed to be likely that you could perhaps find room for them upon one in a more favoured locality. [7]

Blomfield, applied for and was given the additional £125 Advance.[8] By November 1921, he was behind in his payments; his wheat crop had failed and he had lost many lambs.[9] He continued to be in debt well into 1923.[10] An extension of time was granted until 1 February 1925 and approval was given for the consolidation of the total advance.

It is not yet known if he stayed on the property.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files;  [12/6853 No. 1194], Application for Loan 17 February 1919.

[2] Ibid, RSS Young to Director of SS Sydney 21 March 1919.

[3] Ibid, RSS Branch Report 12 March 1919.

[4] Ibid, Arthur Blomfield to the Director SS 10 April 1919.

[5] Ibid, JGR Bryant Director of SS to A.S.  Blomfield 23 April 1919.

[6] Ibid, CP Inspector  Report 24 September 1919.

[7] Ibid, Arthur Blomfield to Director of SS 10 January 1920.

[8] Ibid, Secretary Young Repatriation Committee to Director RSS Branch 31 January 1921.

[9] Ibid, Arthur Blomfield to Director SS 27 November 1921.

[10] Ibid, 1 March 1923.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files;  [12/6853 No. 1194] Arthur Stewart Blomfield

National Archives of Australia:  B2455,  First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Arthur Stewart Blomfield) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3093095&I=1&SE=1