Joseph Rowsell (1860-1939)

Joseph Rowsell was a quarryman in Redan.

History
Joseph Rowsell was born on 17 November 1860, in Brunswick, to Joseph Rowsell and Martha Elizabeth Short.

He worked with his father in the Redan quarries, as Rowsell and Son. In August 1886 they supplied the stone obelisk for the Eureka Memorial: "An immense block of stone, intended for the obelisk to surmount the Eureka Stockade monument, was taken by Messrs. Rowsell and Son from the Redan quarries a few days ago. The stone measure 12ft. 6in. by 4ft. 6in., and weighs about six tons."

In January 1893, Rowsell was declared insolvent: "NOTICE TO CREDITORS. Notice is hereby given that JOSEPH ROWSELL, of 110 Ascot Street, Ballarat, in the Colony of Victoria, Contractor, has by indenture, made and dated and this day, granted and assigned all his estate, property, and effects, whatsoever and wheresoever, to David Cooke and Richard Maddern, of Lydiard street. Ballarat, in the said colony, auctioneers, in trust for realisation and otherwise for the benefit of the creditors of the said Joseph Rowsell, as in the said indenture mentioned. All persons having any claims against the estate are hereby required to forward same, and the particulars thereof to the said David Cooke and Richard Maddern, on or before the day of January, instant, after which date the trustee, the said David Cooke and Richard Maddern, will distribute the trust fund between those persons only of whose, claims they shall have had notice. Dated this seventh day of January 1893. CUTHBERT, WYNNE, MORROW, and MUST, Lydiard Street, Ballarat, Solicitors to the said estate." "'...debts amounting to £300 8s 4d were proved, and Messrs Lee, Blomley, and Edwards were appointed a committee of inspection for the purpose of superintending the administration by the trustee of the insolvent’s property.'" "Joseph Rowsell, of 118 Ascot-street, Ballarat, quarryman. Liabilities, £593 2s. 2d.; assets, £40 ; deficiency, £553 2s. 2d. Causes of insolvency—Having given guarantees for moneys owing by son, and being pressed to pay same. Mr. E. Verey, assignee." "NOTICE is hereby given that the Estate of JOSEPH ROWSELL (1065), of Ballaarat, quarryman, has been sequestrated, and that a general meeting of creditors in the said estate will be holden at the Insolvency Court Offices at Ballaarat, on Monday, the twelfth day of June, a.d. 1893, at the hour of eleven o’clock in the forenoon, for the election of trustees, and for the other purposes mentioned in the 53rd section of the Insolvency Act, 1890. Dated at Ballaarat this 7th day of June, a b. 1893. W. R. ANDERSON. Chief Clerk." "IN THE COURT OF INSOLVENCY. NOTICE is hereby given that a DIVIDEND will be made in the ESTATE of JOSEPH ROWSELL the younger, of Ascot Street, Ballarat, contractor, on Tuesday, 27th June, 1893, and will be payable on Wednesday, 28th June, 1893, at my office, No. 4 Lydiard street south, Ballarat, to such preferential creditors only as have proved their debts under the provisions of the Insolvency Act 1890. Dated at Ballarat this 21st June, 1893. E. VEREY, Assignee."

In 1903, Rowsell was in trouble again, when he went into business with his son, before his insolvency was discharged: "The estate of Joseph Rowsell was under review at the Insolvency Court vesterday before His Honor Judge Gaunt. Mr J. B. Pearson, instructed by Mr R, J. Gribble, appeared for the applicant, and Mr J. G. Eagleson, instructed by Messrs Phillips and Clarke, the official assignee (Mr E Verey). From Mr Pearson’s opening statement, it appeared that Joseph Rowsell became insolvent in 1893, and Mr Verey was appointed official assignee. Rowsell, some time later, entered into partnership with P. Rowsell, his son, and business was carried on as J. and P. Rowsell, builders. J. Rowsell had not obtained his certificate of discharge. A short time ago, the assignee, Mr Verey, sought to attach certain moneys due to J. and P. Rowsell bv Messrs Pearce Bros. The present application was made by Jacob Showman, financial agent, a creditor of the firm of J. and P. Rowsell, to have the attachment, as made by the assignee, set aside the grounds being that the moneys attached were not due to Joseph Rowsell personally, but to the firm of J. and P. Rowsell. The whole day was occupied in the hearing of the case. Mr Verey, Mr Showman, and Mr Joseph Rowsell gave evidence. The last named said that his son, P. Rowsell, had really nothing to do with the firm, and only worked on the contracts. Witness was practically the firm himself. Counsel argued various points at very great length, and His Honor announced that he would reserve his decision."

In 1906, Rowsell was talking with another Ballarat contractor, William Poole, in Barkly Street, Ballarat East, when he was witness to a collision between a tram and a baker's cart. Rowsell was called as a witness in court: "Joseph Rowsell, contractor, who witnessed the accident, said that, so far as he knew, no bell was sounded by the driver of the tram. Witness considered that Mr Bant was driving at a seed of four miles an hour, and the tram was going 14 or 15 miles an hour, or even more. It was going at a greater speed than tramcars usually travelled. The tram approached the waggon too quickly to allow the driver of the vehicle to pull up. To Mr Maxwell—He was talking to Mr Poole when the accident occurred."

In June 1914, Rowsell testified at an appeal against a determination by the Wages Board into wages. He said he was a builder and general contractor, and was a trained stonemason. He claimed that stone masons required a higher level of skill than bricklayers and they should be paid at a higher rate, 13 shillings as opposed to 12 shillings per day. He was working in Melbourne on the King Edward Memorial and a building a church at Melbourne University.

Rowsell died in 1939 : "MR JOSEPH ROWSELL, who died at Dundas Street, Thornbury, was born in Melbourne, and settled in Ballarat in his boyhood. He was a builder and contractor in Ballarat for many years, and transferred to Melbourne, where he built the Horsfall Chapel of Trinity College, and shifted it in units, and rebuilt the old St. James Anglican Cathedral in Batman Street. He was one of the founders and a committee man of the South Street Society, Ballarat, and a member of the first 'Societies' Model Parliament.' He was also a local preacher of the old Bible Christian Church in Ballarat. He was buried privately in the Brighton Cemetery. He is survived by Mrs Rowsell and two sons, Messrs P. and L. Rowsell."