Peter Allwell (abt. 1858 - 1925)

Born about 1858 in County Cavan, Ireland

Husband of Frances Preston — married 8 Jun 1882 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 24 Jun 1925 at about age 67 in Howell, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Peter Allwell was born in 1858 in County Cavan, Ireland as the first child of Patrick Allwell and Ann. He died on 24 Jun 1925^[1] in Howell, New South Wales, Australia. When he was 24, he married Frances Preston, daughter of Joseph Preston and Elizabeth Susannah Cross, on 08 Jun 1882^[2] in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia.

Obituary: Inverell Times NSW, Fri 26 Jun 1925, Page 2, OBITUARY

MR. PETER ALLWELL. There are few men better known in the early mining developments of this part of the State then Mr Peter Allwell, of Howell, and his death, which took place at his residence, Howell, on Wednesday, removes a link with the past.

The deceased was 80 years of age and to the last retained all his faculties. In 1882 Mr Allwell married Miss Frances Preston and he is survived by his wife, three sons, and four daughters. The sons are Messrs Edward and Conrad (Newcastle), and George (Howell). The daughters are Mrs J. Lawler (Cobargo), Mrs F. Kay (Barham), Mrs T. Agnew (Mel- bourne), and Miss Edna Allwell (Sydney). Born in County Cavan, Ireland, he landed in Melbourne as a boy of 18 years and went at once to the Jordan diggings. After a couple of years, he went to New Zealand, still attracted by the lure of gold, and after a residence there of about seven years, came to Inverell about 1878.

After staying here 12 months he was attracted to Queensland and took the long and in those days, a very adventurous journey to the extreme North, Cooktown, where he worked in the Lady Francis gold mine. While there he had some thrilling experiences with the blacks, which were fierce and treacherous. He returned after a little time to Inverell and went into the diamond industry about 41 years ago.

In 1895 he discovered the King Conrad mine, which he eventually sold to an English company. He was also a pioneer in the tin dredging industry at Tingha.

Peter Allwell was a man of wonderful vitality. To merely mention his name to the pioneers is to conjure up a flood of recollections connected with the old Conrad, and with the diamond and tin mining which provided the foundation for many of the more prosperous businesses in Inverell.

He was one of the first men to take up the diamond mining industry, and his connection with that and tin mining runs back to close on half a century. When silver-lead mining broke out Peter Allwell had the adjoining block to the Conrad, afterwards known as the King Conrad. It was sold for £10,000 cash and floated into a company with a capital of £200,000, with 50,000 shares fully paid up. In all the stirring years when Howell flourished Mr. Allwell was a moving spirit, and he had all the true mining pioneer's disposition to take chances. Chatting to an old acquaintance of his who has known him for over thirty years, a representative of this paper was given an instance of this.

Peter Allwell in the bloom of his prosperity once went to a Melbourne Cup, and, during the meeting, had the pluck to lay £500 to £100 with a bookmaker.

Modern punters would probably not care to bet under such circumstances, but the mining pioneer was made of stern stuff and had often faced longer odds. He laid the bet and won. He had one outstanding quality for which all admired him—his wonderful pluck.

Though he was always an old man in the memory of many who have adult sons and daughters of their own, there was never anything that was too big for Peter Allwell if it was in the way of a mining venture. He lost and won with the varying fortunes of the industry, but kept on fighting, though he lost heavily in the decline of Howell.

Tin mining knew him also, and it is claimed that he was the first man in the whole of Australia to put a pick into a tin dredging property at Cope's Creek, and the opening of the dredge of those days was attended by a big Ministerial party who talked, as politicians still talk, of the great mineral wealth of this part of the State. Of late years the old man has relaxed a little but till recently was still keenly interested in mining, confident that, someday or other, the glories of Howell would be revived. Though he has not lived to see that, he played a manly and honorab[l]e part in the development of the district and was held in high respect when the call came, by a host of old friends.

The funeral to the Howell cemetery took place yesterday, (25 Jun 1925), when the funeral service was conducted by the Rev Father O'Connor. Mr C. S. Thorley was the undertaker.

Burial: Peter Allwell was buried on 25 Jun 1925^[3][4] in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia (Inverell Cemetery). Find A Grave: (206810744 ) ACI ID: (15875483)

Peter Allwell and Frances Preston had the following children:

1. Edward Percy Brimsley Allwell was born in 1883 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia. He died in 1954 in Newtown, New South Wales, Australia. He married Elvira E. Pietsch in 1927 in Glebe, New South Wales, Australia. He married Millie M. Reynolds in 1935 in Petersham, New South Wales, Australia.
2. George Henry Peter Allwell was born in 1884 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia. He died in 1938 in Manly, New South Wales, Australia. He married Mary Hilda Ruth Cracknell in 1917 in Tingha, New South Wales, Australia.
3. Ann Elizabeth Allwell was born in 1885 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia. She died in 1967 in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia. She married James Celestine Lawler in 1911 in Tingha, New South Wales, Australia. A son became Sir Peter Lawler, an Australian Ambassador to Ireland.
4. Frances C. Allwell was born in 1887 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia. She died in 1949. She married Arthur Devlin Bond on 29 Jan 1908 in Queensland, Australia.
5. Josephine M. Allwell was born in 1892 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia. She died in 1967 in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia. She married Adam T. Agnew in 1910 in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia.
6. Conrad Francis Allwell was born on 07 Jul 1901 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia. He died on 26 Jul 1977 in Pitt Town, New South Wales, Australia. He married Ruby Irene Vera Kathleen Olrich on 12 Apr 1922 in Glen Innes, New South Wales, Australia. He married Vera Evelyn Smith on 29 Oct 1945 in Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
7. Edna G. Allwell was born in 1903 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia.

Sources

• NSW Birth, Death and Marriage Registration
• The Trove Historical Newspaper Reference.
• Australian Cemetery Index
• Find a Grave

1. ↑ Death: NSW Birth, Death and Marriage Registration
   • Registration Number: 9612/1925
   • Date of Death: 24 Jun 1925
   • Name: ALLWELL PETER
   • Father's Given Name(s): PATRICK
   • Mother's Given Name(s): ANN
   • District: TINGHA
2. ↑ Marriage: NSW Birth, Death and Marriage Registration
   • Registration Number: 5059/1882
   • Date of Marriage: 8 Jun 1882
   • Groom's Family Name: ALLWELL
   • Groom's Given Name(s): PETER
   • Bride's Family Name(s): PRESTON
   • Bride's Given Name(s): FRANCES
   • District: INVERELL
3. ↑ Burial: Australian Cemetery Index for Peter Allwell b. about 1868 d. 24 Jun 1925
4. ↑ Burial: Find A Grave for Peter Allwell b. about 1868 d. 24 Jun 1925