John COLDHAM b. 1821 Snettisham, Norfolk, England, son of John COLDHAM and Anna Valentine BLACKLEY, married 1853, Warrnambool, Vic to Josephine Theresa Power LANE b. 1830 Cork, Ireland. John COLDHAM was a grazier at "Grassdale" Station, near Digby, S-W Victoria and a JP. He died in 1882 and was buried in the Merino Cemetery.

John COLDHAM and his brother George COLDHAM arrived at Port Phillip from Plymouth, England as cabin passengers on the "William Metcalf" in November 1839 and three weeks later arrived at Launceston, Van Diemen's Land on the schooner "Tamar" from Port Phillip. In 1840 they joined the rush for land and returned to Port Phillip, becoming squatters on "Grassdale" pastoral run near the Wannon river, north of Portland, Port Phillip. They appear to have jointly held "Grassdale" station until 1853 when George took over "Ardachy" station then "Audley" station near Branxholme. John retained "Grassdale" station until his death in 1882.

"Black Thursday" 1851 : Samuel Evans YOUNG c.1821-1907 was working as a shepherd on "Grassdale" Station for George COLDHAM on "Black Thursday" (6th February 1851) when his wife and 2 young sons were rescued from the fires by George COLDHAM, who took them to shelter in the nearby Miakite creek. This story had been related by Mrs. Samuel Evans YOUNG and published in the "Portland Guardian" in 1933.

John COLDHAM and Josephine LANE had the following family...

1. Louis Blackley COLDHAM 1854-...?..., b. 1854 Belfast (Port Fairy), Victoria, d. ...?...
2. John COLDHAM 1855-1891, b. "Grassdale" Station, S-W Victoria, station manager of "Wolfang" Station, Queensland, d. Melbourne, Victoria, m. 1885 NSW to Isabella MOFFITT 1864-...?..., b. Sydney, NSW to Andrew MOFFITT and Margaret GREER, d. ...?...;
3. Alice Josephine COLDHAM 1858-1867, b. "Grassdale" Station, S-W Victoria, d. "Grassdale" Station, S-W Victoria.
4. Walter Timon COLDHAM 1860-1908, b. "Grassdale" Station, S-W Victoria, Barrister of Melbourne, d. Melbourne, Victoria, m. 1885 tp Edith Lucy PINNOCK 1864-1945, b. Melbourne, Victoria to James Denham PINNOCK and Sybil Hurlock CLIPPERTON, d. Melbourne, Victoria.
5. Henry Albert COLDHAM 1863-1922, b. "Grassdale" Station, S-W Victoria, d. Sydney, NSW, m. 1887 NSW to Helen Gordon MOFFITT 1869-1954, b. Sydney, NSW to Andrew MOFFITT and Margaret GREER, d. Queensland.
6. Charles Edward COLDHAM 1865-1926, b. "Grassdale" Station, S-W Victoria, d. Melbourne, Victoria, m.1 Mary Ethel Rachel CLARKE 1869-1898, m.2 Jessie ROSS 1867-1911, m.3 Florence Amy OSBORNE c. 1876-1955.
7. Alfred Ernest COLDHAM 1867-1930, b. Hamilton, S-W Victoria, d. NSW, m. QLD to Maude Evelyn HEGARTY 1874-1953, b. QLD, d. QLD.
8. George Nithsdale COLDHAM 1871-1871, b. and d. ...?..., Victoria.
9. Francis Russell COLDHAM 1874-1925, b. Hamilton, S-W Victoria, Barrister of Ballarat, Victoria, d. Melbourne, Victoria, m. Violet Mary ROSE 1880-...?..., b. Christchurch, New Zealand, to Patrick Wemyss ROSE and Caroline Jane WEEKES, d. ...?....

George COLDHAM b. 1824 Snettisham, Norfolk, England, brother of John COLDHAM, arrived in 1839 with his brother John as related above. He also was a squatter and grazier of "Grassdale" Station and "Audley" Station near Branxholme, S-W Victoria. He died at Portland in 1862 and was buried in the North Portland Cemetery.

Catherine McPHEE 1826-1912, b. Isle of Mull, Scotland to Donald McPHEE and Mary McINNESS and arrived with her parents and siblings on the "Marmion" to Portland Bay in 1852. She was employed as a servant at "Ardachy" Station, near Branxholme which was taken over by George COLDHAM for a short time in 1853-1854, before he sold it and took over "Audley" Station. Catherine died in 1912 at Beechworth, N-E Victoria, where her daughter Ellen, who married William BOWEN resided with her family for many years.

George COLDHAM and Catherine McPHEE had the following family...

1. George Coldham McPHEE 1854-1844, b. Portland, S-W Victoria, d. Portland, S-W Victoria.
2. Catherine Coldham McPHEE 1856-1920, b. "Audley" Branxholme, Victoria, d. Melbourne, Victoria, m. 1874 to Thomas Hince BROWN c.1840-1917, b. England, d. Melbourne, Victoria. 11 children.
3. George Coldham McPHEE 1858-1927, b. "Audley" Branxholme, Victoria, d. Ballart, Victoria.
4. John Coldham McPHEE 1866-1867, b. and d. "Audley" Branxholme, Victoria.
5. Ellen Coldham McPHEE 1862-1914, b. "Audley" Branxholme, Victoria, d. Melbourne, Victoria, d. Beechworth, Victoria, m. 1884 to William BOWEN 1856-1914, b. "Grassdale" Station (near Digby), Victoria to John Wood BOWEN and Christina McDONALD, d. Beechworth, Victoria. 9 children.