William Benjamin Gould
In 1851 William B. Gould was living with his parents, Thomas and
Matilda, at No 14 York Street Marylebone, London. Thomas was an Oilman
i.e. a supplier and seller of lamp oil.
William was two years old when three year old brother, George William
died. At the time, 1851, there was an outbreak of cholera in London. In
1853, the family, Thomas and Matilda, seven year old Thomas Henry and
William emigrated to Melbourne. Their sister Anne was born and died at
sea.
On arrival the family lived at the Yarra River near Elizabeth Street.
It was here that William's mother, Matilda died on the 9th August,
1853, probably from complications from the birth of Annie. William's
only memory of his mother was when a neighbour lifted him up to see his
mother in her coffin. the family lived in a tent on the banks of a river
which is Elizabeth Street, Melbourne about where the Post Office
building is. the two little boys used to be bathed in the cold river
water in the morning.
Thomas Gould was left with two young sons. The family traveled to
Ballarat where he was involved with mining and labouring. Thomas Snr
died in 1867.
William was apprenticed to Brunnings Nurserymen and Seedsmen in the 1860's.
In 1875 he married Julia Hancock the daughter of a miner, Nicholas
Hancock. William and Julia had eight daughters and one son George
William. George worked with William at the Mossvale nursery. When the
nursery closed William returned to Warrenheip and died in 1940. His
elder brother, Thomas was a gardener in Ballarat.
George William Gould
George stayed on in Leongatha and grew onions. He married Winifred
Ford, the daughter of onion grower Michael Ford. George played football
and grew onions with the 'Ford boys' George and Jim.
To this day the Best Club person Award at the Leongatha Football club
is named in his honour and presented by a member of the Gould Family.
This information was provided by Kathryn Davis (nee Derrick; William’s great granddaughter). The Mossvale Park Committee is grateful for the Gould families continuing connection to the Park
George Gould is seated forth from the left. Leongatha Football Club.
The Gould Family
Eileen Derrick, nee Gould planting her Golden Zelkova Serrata at Mossvale Park.
Contact the Friends of Mossvale Park using this form.
For all general Park inquiries and bookings please contact the Shire of South Gippsland on https://www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/ContactUs