NAME John Strange SULLIVAN
BORN Richmond, NSW
DIED Yamba, 15 July 1962
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 895
UNIT 7th Light Horse
ENLISTED Liverpool 27 January 1915
DISCHARGED Sydney 19 May 1916 – Medically Unfit – Epilepsy

 John Strange Sullivan occupied a Crown Lease of 2,245 acres, CL 1917.15, in the County of Hardinge and Sandon, Parish of Sandy Creek, Land District of Armidale with permanent and sufficient water. [1]

Sullivan applied for an Advance of £500 but was initially granted only £300.[2]  A report of 2 August 1917 stated that, ‘the applicant has  good experience, but chiefly among sheep in the Western District.  He has sufficient money to stock the land and hopes to get an advance from the Amelioration Committee to build a house.  The place should be self supporting in 18 months or two years’.[3]

By May 1918, Sullivan had erected a good substantial house and had received his advance.

Prior to this date he applied for a six months suspension of residence on the property (on the grounds of  ill health) which was approved. [4]  During this period he resided at Orchard Road, Chatswood. The Department believed he wished to dispose of the holding and would probably not return to his block.

Sullivan had agreed to go halves in the cost of a fence with  R. Stanley who wrote to the Local Land Board complaining that he had not received the money owed.  Sullivan was to pay his share by selling waste timber, a dray and harness.   The Lands Inspector however, told Stanley not to remove or sell any of these goods.  As a consequence Stanley was still waiting on the money.  Stanley stated, ‘I assisted the returned man all that I could possibly do. I worked ten weeks for nothing on the fence.  It seems very unfair then to keep wages men waiting two months for their money after doing creditable work and they (the men) have forced me to recover the amount at shortest notices’.[5]

By 20 November 1918 Sullivan had abandoned the holding and because he had made improvements he was in debt to several people causing the transfer to be  delayed. It was eventually approved to Trevor Mort Brentnall (ex AIF)  on 18 November 1919.  He was not required to carry all of Sullivan’s debt only the amount of £200 which was for fencing.[6]

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files;  [12/6901 No. 3036] John Strange Sullivan,  NSW Government Gazette 1 December 1916, p-?

[2] Ibid, Recommendation of Local Land Board.

[3] Ibid, Director of Soldier Settlers Report, 2 August 1917.

[4] Ibid, Local Land Board Report, May 1918.

[5] Ibid, Stanley to Lands Inspector, 8 June 1918.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid, Report 6 December 1919.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6901 No. 3036] John Strange Sullivan.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (John Strange Sullivan) online: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=8095997