About this objectLand grant to Charles Booth of 997 acres in the county of Bathurst, sixth day November in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty five (6/11/1835). This grant precedes the village of Millthorpe (formerly Spring Grove) and was the first European land grant in the associated area.
The land grant, along with the probate and marriage settlement for Charles wife’s second marriage, where found at the Bathurst Historical Society (BHS) during a clean-up of archives in 2019. The documents were transferred from BHS to Millthorpe & District Historical Society (MDHS) on Thursday 13/05/19. BHS currently have no idea of provenience. Marked on the document in pencil is D181 Given to me by Warwick Dunn of Biddulph & Salenger dec 1976 EJ McLachlin ?? It is assumed that the pencil number is an old accessioning number of BHS but that has not been confirmed. Warwick Dunn is a senior lawyer (and partner) of the firm Biddulph & Salenger, Sydney. Warwick had no recollection of the documents or why they were given to BHS since it was so long ago. It has been assumed that Biddulph & Salenger had the documents from family solicitor records and when cleaning up saw the early grant/dates and reference to ‘Bathurst’ on the probate and handed them over to BHS.
Charles Booth was the first known landowner in the Millthorpe area and built the first permanent home in the district, in about 1835, after taking up his grant. The house is still standing and has been restored in recent years, 2017. Charles was a convict and was under the govern/employment of GT Palmer in the Kings Plains/Guyong area until his ticket of freedom in 1828.
The grant is significance to Millthorpe due to it being the first in the area, predating the village. From this initial grant, the subsequent opening up of more grazing lands, closer settlement and establishment of the village and then the coming of the railway, promoted the growth of the village and surrounding area. Millthorpe & district can track its history right back to the grant of this land to Charles Booth.
Charles Booths is classed as the first white settler in the Millthorpe district and his history is well documented. The grant predates the village of Spring Grove/Millthorpe by about 30 years. The condition is in fair/used order. The wax seal is damaged and mostly removed, but still accounted for. The grant has been folded and creased from use and has pencil markings from BHDS accessioning.
The Charles Booth land grant for Grove Farm has a huge interpretive capacity for the development of the Millthorpe district from aboriginal occupation, first white settlement of farming families, mining history and the development and changes of the village.
