Jock Winter

"John "Jock" Winter" was a squatter in Ballarat, 1842-1875. Winter Street in Redan is named after him.

History
Jock Winter died in August 1875 and a detailed obituary was published in the newspaper: SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. JOHN WINTER. The news of the somewhat sudden death of Mr John Winter, took many by surprise, especially as he had been seen at Ballarat on Sunday, attending St. Andrew's Church, and was generally supposed to be in his usual state of health. It seems however, that Mr Winter's powers have been decaying for some time past, and this is not to be wondered at, as he was seventy two years of age. Yesterday morning he rose at his usual hour, and remarking the fall of snow, said that it reminded him of the old country; but he felt chilly, and during the forenoon lay down to get a nap. This proved to be his last sleep on earth, as Mrs Winter, about two o'clock, noticed that he was breathing heavily, and sent for medical assistance. Dr Whitcomb, who was called in arrived shortly afterwards and found Mr Winter in an apoplectic fit, from which he could not recover, as he was then dying, and shortly after four o'clock breathed his last. Thus peacefully ended the career of one of our oldest colonists.

Mr Winter more familiarly known as Jock Winter, was borne at Lauder, in Lammermuir, in 1803. He received the rudiments of education in the village school, went to Edinburgh served his apprenticeship as a butcher, and was afterwards employed as buyer of stock in the Highlands for the Edinburgh market. In this capacity he got acquainted with Jane Irving daughter of the laird of Bonshaw, in Dumfries-shire; and the affection being mutual, they were married in 1825. He then went into business for himself as a butcher in William street, Edinburgh and followed this calling for sixteen years. He was of a speculative turn of mind, though very close in money matters, and he made a considerable sum by buying up Queen of Spain bonds after the war between Queen Isabella and her cousin Don Carlos.

In 1841 Mr Winter emigrated to Australia, and being served in Melbourne with meat of extra good quality, at a shop kept by Sir John O'Shanassy, or at which the worthy knight was then a knight of the cleaver; Jock who had borrowed a frying-pan to cook his dinner remarked to his mate. "Ther's good grass where that beef was raised," He returned the frying-pan, and enquired where the beast of which he had dined was bred and fed. He was told in the neighbourhood of Buninyong ; and having but a poor idea of the locality of the ancient village, he made his way thither, and engaged himself as shepherd for a time until he knew the ''lay" of the country. His employer got into difficulties, and he took. out his wages in sheep, about threescore being the number that belonged to him when he started on his own account.

His flock increased; and he bought a run from Henry Anderson and George Russel, called Waverly, which he changed to Bonshaw, in compliment to the estate of his wife's father. A shepherd in his employ named Kemp, was, according to Mr Winter's account, the first discoverer of gold in the colony between Winter's Flat and the Buninyong road in 1850; and it was from him that Hiscock obtained the secret. The gold discovery was in every way favourable to Winter, who although possessed of a large tract of country and some 20,000 sheep, turned an honest penny by selling mutton to diggers and sheep to the butchers, at enormous profit to himself. Round Lake Wendouree was a favourite camping place in those times, and many a good bargain has Winter made on its banks.

From 1852 to 1854, Winter accumulated a great deal of money, bought stations for his eldest sons at Devil's River, the Lower Goulburn and Barrambool. As is well known, Winter made very profitable terms with the miners who entered upon the Bonshaw property, getting a sum of £23,000 for a portion of the 640 acre selection which he purchased at £1 per acre, and afterwards obtaining the enormous amount of £50,000 from the Winters Freehold Company for 1359 acres, which may have cost him 30s per acre. Since that time he has purchased a great deal of land in various parts of this and the adjoining colonies, his eldest son being the owner of a station on the Liverpool Plains, N.S.W., which is a good day's ride across-being, we are informed, seventy miles in extent in one direction, and a great many miles in the other. His five younger sons have also stations of their own (his first wife died, and he had two children by his second wife, now living), and the only member of the family who possibly may not be well provided for would be his daughter, who incurred his displeasure through marrying, against his will a very honorable, but humble miner. Mr Winter was extremely frugal in his habits, and although living in comparative seclusion in his house at the top of Sturt street at the time of his death, was reputed to be literally a millionaire---Courier.