Alfred Wilson BRAIM c.1843-1933

Alfred Wilson BRAIM c.1843-1933, born Sussex, England, son of John BRAIM and Johanna Maria BRAIM; Died Port Fairy, Victoria, aged 90y.

Alfred Wilson BRAIM was the owner of "Kilmorey" Station, on the Merri River at Hawkesdale, Victoria in the 1880s and in 1886 to 1901 was station manager for Nathan THORNLEY of "Muntham" Station, between Casterton and Coleraine, S-W Victoria. He purchased 3 blocks in the 1st sub-divisional sale of the "Muntham" Estate in 1901. The following newspaper extracts show some of his movements and involvents during this period...

"The Herald" (Melbourne, Vic.) Monday, 20th April 1885.

TELEGRAMATTA. -- RURAL. -- BELFAST.-A supicious fire took place on Mr Alfred Wilson Braim's, Kilmorey station, near Woolstorpe, on Saturday, when a building was wantonly and malicously destroyed by fire. Acting upon information received, Sub-Inspector Mackay ordered the Koroit police to institute enquiries in a certain suspected quarter. The individual's name can't yet be divulged in the interests of justice.

"The Horsham Times" (Vic.) Friday, 3rd April 1891.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE. -- MELBOURNE, Thursday Night.
The Customs department have fined George Jenkins £100 for smuggling jewellery. The fine was paid.
The same department, as the result of Detective Christie's investigations in the Western district during the last few weeks have recovered the following amounts from persons found guilty of stock smuggling across the border in collusion with Butcher, lately a police constable and customs officer at Dartmoor :-- A. W. Braim, Kilmorey, Woolsthorpe. £170 10s; J. R. Hurst, Eumeralla, Macarthur, £221 8s; J. S. McPherson, Nangeela, Casterton, £100; Francis Sutton, Casterton, £70; John Hinchcliffe, Macarthur, £30; total (with Butcher's £100) fines, £700. Several other cases are pending settlement and will probably go to court. Braim and McPherson are Justices of the Peace and the attention of the Law department is to be drawn to the fact of their being fined for smuggling. The principal information was given to the department by a stock agent, who conducted the swindle, acting in collusion with Butcher.

"The Hamilton Spectator (Vic.) Saturday, 13th November 1897.

CARAPOOK. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Thursday.
Shearing is now in full swing. A few of the smaller sheds have cut out, but the larger ones will not be finished for some time. The clip on the whole has been better than was anticipated, still there has been a lot of inferior, weak wool.
On the Muntham estate a great many sheep have been dying; they were big fat wethers in prime condition. Over a hundred sheep and five bullocks have died during the last fortnight. Mr. Braim forwarded the stomach of one to Melbourne for analysis, and, it was found that the cause of death was over-feeding on cape weed.
Yesterday was a record day here as regards heat, the thermometer reading 98 deg. in the shade. If the present weather continues, there will be a water famine here. The dams have now very little water in them, and it is getting less every day. The outlook is very serious.

"The Hamilton Spectator" (Vic.) Thursday, 16th February 1899.

FIRE AT MUNTHAM. -- A fire broke out on the Hon. N. Thornley's Muntham estate on Monday last, by which the grass in some of the sheep paddocks, to the extent of between 1800 and 2000 acres, was destroyed. A great number of posts and a large quantity of wire-netting were also burned. The manager, Mr. Braim, had been to Coleraine, tracking bullocks, and arrived on the scene about noon, just after the fire had started. A large number of the neighbours turned out, and gave valuable assistance, and their strenuous efforts were rewarded by the fire bring kept in check, and fortunately the conflagration was prevented from spreading to the heavily grassed fattening paddocks. Though the fire was got under, it was watched carefully till 12 o'clock on Tuesday night, by which time every spark had been carefully extinguished. There is an abundance of feed all round the scene of the outbreak, and had it not been for the gallant work done by the volunteers, a most disastrous fire must have resulted.

"The Hamilton Spectator" (Vic.) Saturday, 17th March 1900.

CARAPOOK. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wednesday.--During the recent fire at Carapook 25 miles of fencing was burnt on Muntham estate. Mr. Braim, with his usual energy, soon got to work, and after thoroughly examining the damage done, at once called for tenders for renewing the fences. All the fencing is now let and well in hand, a great deal of it being finished in a highly satisfactory manner. In driving round the estate I was particularly struck with the appearance of the new fences. They consist of red gum posts with two droppers in between, six plain wires and a barbed wire on top. There are between 29 and 30 men working in different gangs, and they seem well pleased with the arrangements they have made with Mr. Thornley, and he on a recent visit was so pleased with the good work being done that he is giving a bonus to each gang.
Water for stock is very scarce in this district, and some of the landholders are driving their stock to water. In some places springs have been opened up and pipes laid to troughs. These have been found of great benefit. On Muntham attempts have been made to get water by sinking shafts. The first put down went to a depth of 60 feet, but with no result, within a few hundred yards another was sunk and water was struck at 34 feet. One of Alston's best windmills has been erected, and a good supply of water is got for the strike.

"The Border Watch" (Mount Gambier, SA) Saturday, 19th October 1901.

MUNTHAM LAND SALE. -- There was a crowded attendance at the first subdivisional sale of the Muntham estate on Thursday, when 8,000 acres were offered. Messrs. Bree and Co. of Hamilton, and A. E. Smith, of Casterton conducted the sale. The whole of the 27 lots offered found buyers at an average of £10 11s. 6d. per acre. The following are details of the sale :--

• Lot 1--183a lr 15p. H. J. Tomkins, £5 2s, 6d.
• Lot 2--175a lr 5p, R. Matheson, Dergholm, £5.
• Lot 3--99a 2r 32p ; on this block there is the residence known as the Lodge, John Goodwin, £7 6s.
• Lot 4--120a 0r 24p, E. Widdicombe. £7 19s.
• Lot 5--60a 0r 15p, W. J. Black. £10 10s.
• Lot 6--83a 2r 33p, Geo. Cox, £10 10s.
• Lot 7--87a 2r 17p, Jas. MacLaughlin, £15 2s. 6d.
• Lot 8--87a 1r 9p, Jas. Greenham (Dartmoor), £12.
• Lot 9--71a 2r 14p. A. W. Braim, £13 10s,
• Lot 10--67a 3r 2p, A. W. Braim, £13 15s.
• Lot 11--56a lr 38p, A. W. Braim, £15.
• Lot 12--14a 0r 2p, A. T. Anderson, £27.
• Lot 13--74a 2r 14p, J. Beaglehole, £12 12s. 6d.
• Lot 14--72a 2r 4p, John MacLaughlan, £14 10s.
• Lot 15--70a lr 21p, John MacLaughlan, £12 10s.
• Lot 16--92a 0r 20p, John MacLaughlan, £14 10s.
• Lot 17--113a 2r 19p, Geo. Cox, £10 5s.
• Lot 18--177a 2r 39p. Geo. Grant, £11 10s.
• Lot 19--211a lr 5p, T. Somerville, £8.
• Lot 20--197a 2r l0p, T. Somerville, £11.
• Lot 21--131a 0r 14p, John and Jas. Mitchell, £11.
• Lot 22--215a 2r 30p, Murray Mathieson, £5 15s.
• Lot 23--158a 2r 31p, Murray Mathieson, £9.
• Lot 24--110a 1r 25p, Matheson Bros. (Dwyer's Creek), £14 5s.
• Lot 25--104a 2r 5p, Matheson Bros., £13 10s.
• Lot 26--101a 1r 20p, Matheson Bros., £16.
• Lot 27--145a 8r 10p, Matheson Bros., £15 10s.

"The Age" (Melbourne, Vic.) Friday, 16th September 1910.

ABOUT PEOPLE. -- The death occurred yesterday in a private hospital at Warrnambool of Mr. John Braim, who for seventeen years had been secretary of the Freemasons' Grand Lodge of Victoria. Deceased, who was in his 74th year, had been a colonist of 59 years' standing. He was a nephew of the late Archdeacon Braim, and married Miss Power, of Cork, a cousin of the late Sir Redmond Barry. Mrs. Braim, who is a colonist since 1842, survives him. The family consists of Mrs. Hinson, wife of Rev. Stanley Hinson, of Stanley Point, NZ.; Mrs. Chadwick, wife of the manager of the E., S. and A. Bank, Camberwell; Mrs. Daly., wife of Mr. A. R. Daly, solicitor, of Melbourne; Mrs. Ardlie, wife of Mr. E. L. Ardlie, solicitor, of Warrnambool, and Mr. John Braim, of Messrs. John Sanderson and Co. Deceased also leaves a brother, Mr. A. W. Braim, of Kilmorey, Woolsthorpe, who is a well-known squatter and old colonist. The remains will be brought to Melbourne and interred in the Kew Cemetery to-morrow afternoon.

"The Age" (Melbourne, Vic.) Saturday, 15th July 1933.

OBITUARY. -- Mr. Alfred Wilson Braim, who has died at the age of 90 years, belonged to a well-known Western district pioneer, family. He was a native of Sussex, England, and came to Victoria with his parents when he was 15 years of age. For many years he owned Kilmorey Station, now the property of Mr. G. J. Officer, and later managed Muntham Station for Mr. Edward [sic Nathan] Thornley. His brother, Mr. John Braim, who died a few years ago, was grand secretary of the Masonic Lodge of Victoria.