NAME Charles William Thorpe
BORN Abt. 1889 Aldershot England
DIED  
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 6861
UNIT 18th & 45th Battalion
ENLISTED Sydney 17 June 1917
DISCHARGED Sydney 20 December 1919 – gun shot wound left shoulder

Charles Thorpe had two blocks of land consisting of 500 acres each. The first was freehold and the second a Conditional Purchase. The land was in the County of Cunningham, Parish of Bundaburra, Condobolin Land District.[1] The block was a part of Berryman’s Settlement Purchase Area — Settlement Purchase No. 1920/34.[2]

Initially, Thorpe took out a lease agreement with a Richard John Berryman on the two 1000 acre blocks for a period of five years.[3] The period of five years appears to have been incorrect as the terms outlined in Clause 3 of the agreement stated that the lease could only be for twelve months only. The lease was duly signed on 7 June 1920.[4]

Thorpe’s Advance was approved on 25 May 1920.[5] He took possession of the block on 15 March 1920. In November 1922, Thorpe delayed in disposing of some of his cattle who had fallen in condition because of the drought. He asked for permission to dispose of sheep and the balance of his cattle also,

as (his) crop was a total failure through droughty conditions.

He believed that the sale of stock, would then allow him to meet his indebtedness to the Lands Department.[6]

Thorpe vacated the holding in January 1924 and was written off sometime around July 1926.[7]

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6985 No. 4085] Charles William Thorpe, Application for Loan 27 February 1920.

[2] Ibid, NSW Government Gazette nd.

[3] Ibid, Lease agreement between Charles William Thorpe and Richard John Berryman 15 March 1921.

[4] Ibid, H.E. Hodgkinson Solicitor to the Director of Soldier Settlements 7 June 1920.

[5] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 20 may 1920.

[6] Ibid, C.W. Thorpe to the Director of SS? Abt. 29 November 1922.

[7] Ibid, Auditor General Report 23 July 1926.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files; [12/6985 No. 4085] Charles William Thorpe.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Charles William Thorpe.) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=8099693&I=1&SE=1.