NAME Thorburn Ernest SUTTIE
BORN Moree 28 May 1898
DIED 1975
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 1601
UNIT 33rd Regiment
ENLISTED Narrabri 25 January 1916
DISCHARGED Sydney 1 December 1919

 Thorburn Suttie’s Soldier Settlement block Crown Lease 1918.8, consisted of 2,788 acres and was in the Land District of Moree, County of Benarba.  He stated that he intended using the property, ‘Lock Leven’, Bellarah, for grazing purposes.[1]  He required the loan money for fencing, sinking a well, purchasing a pump, erecting a stand and tank and £325 for a house. This last amount was considered to be too much for a house, although on 22 January, this amount was approved.[2] In September1920, Suttie took out a mortgage with the Bank of NSW.[3] He also took out a second mortgage with the Department of Lands for £500.[4] On 10 October 1923, however, when an inspection of the holding was undertaken he was judged to be ‘young and energetic and of a good standard and who with an ordinary share of fortune should prove successful’.[5] Approval was given on 11 March 1924 for  Suttie to transfer his Crown Lease to W.M. Maher and to acquire from Maher CP 17.20 and SL 3530, 3549, 12.38, 16.50, 16.51 and 16.52 a total area of 1183 acres.[6]  In February 1925 Suttie continued to have problems making his repayments. As well as having a large family to support – his wheat did not yield much and his 1923-24 crop was a complete failure.  

 Suttie discharged his mortgage to the Department of Lands by the end of 1926 and had repaid the original Advance in full by 1 October 1926.[7] He was not residing on the property at this date.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files, [12/6900, No. 3028] Thorburn Ernest Suttie, Application for loan 3 November 1919.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid, Acting Director Soldier Settlement to Under Secretary 16 September, 1920.

[4] Ibid, Returned Soldiers’ Settlement Office Memorandum 26 July 1923.

[5] Ibid, Inspector’s Report 10 October 1923.

[6] Ibid, Report 2 May, 1924.

[7] Ibid, Department of Lands Memorandum 13 October 1926.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files,  [12/6900, No. 3028] Thorburn Ernest Suttie.

 National Archives of Australia:  B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Thorburn Ernest Suttie) online:  http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=8070625