Popham (Cr) Dr William Home
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Also known as: | M.D. M.R.C.S.E.L.S.A. |
| Date of birth | 1820 |
| Date of death | 1871 |
Dr. William Home Popham was elected as Gawler Councillor for East Ward in 1868 and 1869.
Born in 1820 and died 21st October 1871, aged 51. Dr Popham was interred in "St Georges Anglican Cemetery Gawler; Est 1861". The Undertaker's name was Woodman. There is no cause of death recorded in the Burial Register. Burial #110, 22nd October 1871, originally interred into plot B20 next to 2nd wife Martha but on 25th June 1877 he was re-interred into plot R21 next to his first wife Esther.
Dr W.H.Popham came to South Australia from Ireland in 1853 and originally settled in Glenelg. In 1858 he came to Gawler [E.H.Coombe M.P. "History of Gawler page 294]. Dr. Popham resided at 25 High Street, Gawler [behind Gawler Institute building] in his home called Craiglea from 1860. Records show that in 1860, he bought acres 237 and 238 which had 2 houses (6 rooms each unfurnished) with 1 acres of cultivated open land [Council value 45 pounds] from George C. Whyld. Records indicate that in 1858 Whyld had an unfinished house on acre 237 for a value of 30 pounds. In that year Dr Popham also bought acres 239 and 240. In 1861, records show he owned a 12 room residence with Council valuation of 50 pounds. In 1868 he acquired acre 241 and Council records show "Residence, Stabling, Offices, Land, and cultivated and large garden valued at 85 pounds".
Derek Whitelock's book "Gawler" page 86 "From 5th February 1866"...."...a habit of discharging a canon in his garden at the arrival of the English mails..." on the lawns of Craiglea. Derek Whitelock's "Gawler" p306 states that in December 1953 "Antique cannon, which came to Australia on the "Buffalo" offered to Gawler Corporation but rejected".
EHC p294 “….. belonged to a good Irish family. Two of his brothers were also Doctors. EHC p256 In 1861 he was captain of the Gawler Rifle Volunteers, and in the same year won the first prize, a silver cup valued 20 guineas, with 20 sovereigns added, at the S.A. Rifle Association matches. In 1868 he held office as East Ward Councillor of the Gawler Corporation for 2 years. Was a good chess player and EHC p294 represented Gawler in the first telegraph match.” [EHC p256] “…a match was played by telegraph between two Gawlerites and two residents of Port Adelaide. This was won by the seasiders. Dr W.H.Popham, father of Dr. F.W.H. Popham, was one of the most enthusiastic of the early players.” and
c1858 [EHC p155] among the first residents of Gawler. 1861 [EHC p326] Captain of Gawler Volunteers #2. c1863 [EHC p142] member of the Humbug Society threatening to take action against others for libel. [ECH p59] 1868 a ratepayer wrote that “Councillors….….Popham……..had declined to appoint any time for receiving the requisitions from the ratepayers calling on them to resign, enclosing the requisitions and asking to have them read and presented.” [EHC p130] “his widow, his 2nd wife, carried on the connection until the arrival of son Dr. F.W.H. Popham from England in 1872”.
Doctor Popham’s Cannon
This small armament (described as a six-pounder carronade ) is believed to have come from the HMS Buffalo, the ship that brought the first settlers to South Australia. It was bought for Dr William Home Popham by George Causby , a local entrepreneur who had many business interests in Gawler and in Adelaide.
Dr Popham was in possession of this cannon when he lived at Glenelg. A report in the Glenelg Illustrated, 1836-1896 stated that he fired it to commemorate the ‘coming of age of South Australia’ on 28 December 1857 . Dr Popham arrived in South Australia during 1853 and resided at Glenelg until 1858 when he moved to Gawler , possibly bringing two cannons with him.
Early in 1866, the residents of Gawler were advised that they would be given notice that the English mail had arrived by the ‘discharge of a six-pounder gun’, and ‘by the hoisting of the usual chequered flag with black ball at top’ in ‘Dr Popham’s garden’ .
The cannon was used not only to signal the arrival but also to herald many events in Gawler: the arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh at Port Adelaide on 29 October 1867 ; two cannons fired a vice-regal salute as the Governor, Sir James Fergusson, arrived and departed for the occasion of laying the foundation for the Gawler Institute on 30 May 1870 ; to warn the citizens of Gawler on 3 July 1888 when it was thought that the Russians were coming to invade the country ; a twenty-one gun salute during the visit to Gawler of the Governor of South Australia, Sir Fowell Buxton, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria on 14 July 1897 ; rejoicing the end of the siege of Ladysmith in February 1900 and the relief of Mafeking , and the regaining of Johannesburg during the Boer War; a three-gun salute to honour Queen Victoria’s birthday on 24 May 1900 ; welcoming the twentieth century and celebrating St George’s Day on 23 April 1902 .
Late in 1953, Mrs Esther Harris, a descendant of Dr Popham, offered the cannon to Gawler Council. The offer was declined, one Councillor remarking that the town already had two cannons that council was trying to be rid of . Mrs Harris then offered the cannon to the’ Archives Department’ with the explanation that it had belonged to her grandfather, Dr William Home Popham, and subsequently to her father, Dr Francis William Home Popham. After her father’s death in 1903, the cannon was in the custody of Mrs Harris’ mother and then another relative, who died. Mrs Harris lived interstate and was keen to see the cannon remain in South Australia. The Archives Department also declined the offer and eventually the Art Gallery of South Australia accepted the cannon .
The cannon remained at the Art Gallery of South Australia for the next thirty-four years during which time it was lent out on two or three occasions for display. One of those occasions was at the Gawler Post Office during the 1980s . During 1986, administrators at the Art Gallery of South Australia transferred ownership of the cannon to the History Trust of South Australia but continued to store it .
In mid-1988, after successful negotiations by Gawler Council, Dr Popham’s cannon was returned to Gawler and given ‘pride of place’ at Gawler Public Library. For the past ten years, however, it has been in local storage.
Researched and written by Anne Richards, Librarian Customer Services, Gawler Public Library.
© 2015 Town of Gawler. The Bunyip, 4 June 1870, p. 2. The Bunyip, 4 October 1907, p. 3. The Bunyip, 15 January 1897, p. 2. History of Gawler 1837-1908, p. 294. The Bunyip, 10 February 1866, p. 3. The Bunyip, 9 November 1867, p. 2. The Bunyip, 4 June 1870, p. 3. The Bunyip, 6 July 1888, p. 2. The Bunyip, 9 July 1897, p. 3. The Bunyip, 2 March 1900, p. 2. The Bunyip, 25 May 1900, p. 3. The Bunyip, 1 June 1900, p. 2. The Bunyip, 25 May 1900, p. 2. The Bunyip, 4 January 1901, p. 2. The Bunyip, 2 May 1902, p. 2. Esther Harris, Letter to Archives Department, 7 December 1953. The Bunyip, 4 December 1953, p. 3. The Advertiser. 23 December 1953, p. 4. Information provided by Brian Sambell from Edgar Mueller, 3 May 1983. James Schoff, Administrator, Art Gallery of South Australia, Letter to Dr Peter Cahalan, Director, History Trust of South Australia, 31 October 1986.
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