John Dunn (miller)

John Dunn Sr.
Personal details
Born John Dunn
(1802-02-13)13 February 1802
Bondleigh, Devon, England
Died 13 October 1894(1894-10-13) (aged 92)
Mount Barker, South Australia
Spouse(s) Ann Rowe (1802 – 1870) and Jane Cork Williams (c. 1833 – 1929)
Relations William Paltridge (son-in-law)
Children John Dunn Jr. (1830–1892), Mary Ann Hill (1832–1912), Elizabeth Paltridge (1834–1928), Eliza Dunn (1837–1856), William Henry Dunn (1841–1891)
Parents Charles Dunn and Thomasin Dunn (née Hooper)

John Dunn Sr. (13 February 1802 – 13 October 1894) was a flour miller in the early days of the colony of South Australia; a parliamentarian, philanthropist and a prominent citizen of Mount Barker, South Australia.

Career

He was born in the parish of Bondleigh, Devon, the son of a small farmer. At the age of 10 he was working as a servant, then for seven years was apprenticed to a miller at North Tawton.[1] He was then appointed manager of a steam mill in Bideford, Devon and in 1836 owned his own mill at Monkleigh, some 6 km to the south. On the suggestion of his brothers,[2] who had emigrated earlier, he, his wife and four children, left for Australia on the Lysander, arriving at Port Adelaide on 6 September 1840.[3]

He found employment with Borrow & Goodiar, then purchased land near his brother's property at Hay Valley (near Nairne), which he farmed and in 1842 built a windmill for grinding flour, possibly the first in Australia.[4] The variability of wind in the area limited its usefulness, particularly as he had built the windmill with a fixed mechanism, and the angle of the sails could not be changed to match wind direction,[5]:31–33 and he ordered a small steam engine from England. While waiting for its arrival he worked for Ridley, helping to construct his famous reaper, proving its performance on D. McFarlane's land at Mount Barker.

For a time he managed the South Australian Company's first steam mill in Adelaide,[1] which had been set up by William Randell.

His first steam mill, in Mount Barker, began working in 1844, the second steam mill in Australia at a time when South Australia was the only wheat producing colony in Australia.

Soon Ridley's, Hart's, Magarey's, and other brands of flour were exported to the other colonies, then overseas. Dunn's milling and grain business grew until the firm had eleven steam flour mills, five fitted with more modern roller machinery.[4] Dunn's first steam mill was decommissioned as a flour mill by 1899, converted to become ancillary to leather production.[5]:104–106

Dunn admitted his two sons into partnership as well as his son-in-law W. Hill, and his brother-in-law G. Shorney. W. H. Dunn left about 1875 to farm in the North, and the remaining partnership was continued until the death of Hill in 1885 and Shorney in 1891. John Dunn retired from the business in 1889, leaving John Dunn, jun., as head of the firm.

Politics

He was on the Mount Barker council its chairman.

Church

John Dunn was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and paid for the construction of the church building in Mount Barker which bears his name, opened in September 1884. He also paid for the construction of several rows of houses for the benefit of the invalid elderly of the district.[4]

Philanthropy

He gave to the people of Mount Barker the "Dunn Memorial Church" which was opened in September 1884,[1] and "Dunn Park" on the occasion of his 90th birthday,[6]

He died with an estate of around £100,000 with substantial bequests to a large number of charities, many associated with the Methodist Church[7] and Prince Alfred College.

The mills

Hay Valley Windmill

His first mill (1842) was a fixed windmill at Hay Valley, near Nairne.[5]

Mount Barker

His second mill, a far more ambitious three-story stone mill powered by steam, was built in 1844, in steam 1 October 1844.[1][5]

Bridgewater

Around 1857 Dunn bought part of section 1141 of Bridgewater to erect a steam and water mill[8] which, for most of the year, was operated by water from Cox's Creek. In 1870 a flood washed away the mill dam, which had only recently been completed, together with the older dam and three bridges.[9] From 1958[5]:109–110 the mill was used as a bond store for Hamilton's Wines and is now owned by Petaluma Wines and operates as a restaurant. The building, on Mount Barker Road, is a tourist attraction; the millwheel operates electrically.

First Nairne Mill (1864)

[10]

Port Adelaide

Erected by John Dunn jun. after his abortive mission to the South Seas, this steam mill went into operation early in 1866, but was burned down late that year. As this closely followed a strike followed by a lock-out, sabotage was suspected.[11] It was rebuilt the following year. John Dunn jun. rejoined his father's company around the same time as the other family members became joint partners, and the Port Adelaide mill was acquired by the company as the price of his readmission. In 1887 the building was again destroyed by fire.[12]

Second Nairne Mill (1873)

[10]

Port Augusta Jetty and Mill (1880)

A steam mill, using all the latest technology, was installed at Port Augusta in 1880.[13]

Wolseley (1883)

[14]

Family

He was born the son of Charles Dunn (1770 – 17 June 1850) and Thomasin Dunn, née Hooper (1771 – 29 April 1852) who followed their children to South Australia. They were buried at Blakiston, South Australia.[1]

He married Ann Rowe (1802 – 24 November 1870) in 1828. Their children were:

John had been brought into partnership with his father in 1852 but resigned in 1862 to work as a missionary in Fiji. He was forced to return in 1864 due to ill-health. On the retirement of his father in May 1889 was appointed head of the company. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1875 to 1877 and the Legislative Council from 1880 to 1888.

On 27 February 1872 he married again, to Jane Cork Williams (c. 1834 – 7 June 1929), the eldest daughter of John Williams. (John Dunn Jr. had married her sister Elizabeth.)

He died at his home, "The Laurels", which was built in 1857[5]:107–108

John Dunn Sr.'s siblings

William Henry Dunn MHA, William Paltridge MHA, Herbert Charles Dunn MHA, agriculturist Charles Dunn (1796–1881) who founded Charleston, South Australia, the Rev. William Arthur Dunn, president of Prince Alfred College, architect Hedley Allen Dunn, and embezzler and arsonist Alfred Henry Dunn (c. 1845–1904) were also closely related.

See also

Other flour millers of the period in South Australia include:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "A Noble Nonagenarian". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 13 February 1892. p. 6. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 French, M., 'Dunn, John (1802–1894)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dunn-john-3454/text5275, accessed 14 May 2012.
  3. Dianne Cummings, Lysander 1840, Pioneers And Settlers Bound For South Australia, State Library of South Australia, retrieved 26 March 2016 Archived 18 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Death of Mr. John Dunn". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 15 October 1894. p. 7. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Stuart, Anthony (ed) (1991). A miller's tale: the memoirs of John Dunn of Mount Barker. Kingswood, South Australia: Waterwheel Books. ISBN 0 646 03269 0.
  6. "A Generous Donation". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 4 April 1892. p. 7. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  7. "Bequests by the Late Mr. John Dunn". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 23 October 1894. p. 3. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  8. "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 26 February 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  9. "Disastrous Flood at Cox's Creek". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 17 August 1870. p. 5. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Memories of Eighty Years.". The Mount Barker Courier And Onkaparinga And Gumeracha Advertiser. 7, (356). South Australia. 29 July 1887. p. 4. Retrieved 26 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Fire at Pprt Adelaide—Destruction of Messrs. J. Dunn & Co.'s Mill.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 25 November 1867. p. 3. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  12. "Fire at the Port". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 25 March 1887. p. 4. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  13. "Starting of Messrs. Dunn and Co.'S Steam Flour-Mill at Augusta". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 20 February 1880. p. 5. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  14. "The Mills that Grind for Gold.". The Critic. South Australia. 11 June 1898. p. 25. Retrieved 28 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  15. "Family Notices". South Australian Register. XIX, (2758). South Australia. 26 July 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 21 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  16. "Obituary". South Australian Register. XLIII, (9805). South Australia. 18 April 1878. p. 5 (Supplement to the South Australian Register.). Retrieved 21 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  17. Architecture Museum, UniSA > Architects of South Australia > Hedley Allen Dunn Accessed 10 June 2014.
  18. "Family Notices.". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 26 August 1854. p. 2. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  19. "Errata". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 26 March 1856. p. 2. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  20. "General News". Adelaide Observer. XXXVIII, (2072). South Australia. 18 June 1881. p. 28. Retrieved 26 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  21. 1 2 Dianne Cummings, D'Auvergne 1839, Pioneers And Settlers Bound For South Australia, State Library of South Australia, retrieved 26 March 2016 Archived 4 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  22. "Country Intelligence.". Southern Argus. XIII, (683). South Australia. 17 April 1879. p. 3. Retrieved 26 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  23. Dianne Cummings, Fairfield 1846, Pioneers And Settlers Bound For South Australia, State Library of South Australia, retrieved 26 March 2016 Archived 4 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  24. "Births, Marriages & Deaths". The South Australian Advertiser. XXV, (7458). South Australia. 13 September 1882. p. 3 (Unknown). Retrieved 26 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  25. "Adelaide Shipping". South Australian Register. XI, (719). South Australia. 3 April 1847. p. 3. Retrieved 12 November 2016 via National Library of Australia. They are on the Phoebe passenger lists for both 1846 and 1847, but clearly missed the earlier boat.
  26. 1 2 3 "An Interview". South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 13 February 1892. p. 6. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  27. 1 2 "The Will of Mr. John Dunn". South Australian Register. LIX, (14,964). South Australia. 29 October 1894. p. 6. Retrieved 26 March 2016 via National Library of Australia.
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