This journal,like many,arose from a private message. It was originally entitled A CONVERSATION ABOUT JAMES AND LAURENCE WHITE OF THE BALNARRING DISTRICT but as I have found just found much information about the so-called Mr Berriman from the so-called Euroa (who bought 160 acres from James White's estate in 1906) such as Eric Rundle purchasing Warrawee from his estate in 1950 (Balnarring Byways) and the lead he took in introducing agriculture to the district (P.2, Mornington and Dromana Standard, 3-7-1909), Louis is no longer a bit player in the story.

THE CONVERSATION.
Hi We own Ealing Park which is 13 Turners Road Balnarring and was part of the original 90 acres of James White.
Do you know when it was selected and then freeholded?
Regards
John

Having checked in Melway,it would seem to me that No 13 is just south of the bend in Turners Rd halfway between Myers and Hunts Rds and on the east side of Turners Rd. Your property would probably be the northernmost portion of crown allotment 60A, parish of Bittern, located on the east corner of Myers and Turners Rds and extending north to the aforementioned bend, as does crown allotment 59B on the west corner. The latter was granted to L.White (probably Lawrence) on 27-9-1878. Crown allotment 60A was granted to John White, administrator (executor)of J.White (probably James) on 21-2-1900.

James White had obviously settled in the area by 1874 as the following shows but there is no proof that he was on either of the two crown allotments mentioned.

THE SCHNAPPER POINT MURDER. (BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.)
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Monday 14 September 1874 p 6 Article
I asked the prisoner when he had left "The Plains," meaning Moriarty's place, he said, " Yesterday " (Sunday). I said, "Where were you all night?" He replied, "I stopped with an old man, I got off the track." I asked the old man's name, and he said he could not tell me. I mentioned two men, James White and John McConnell, the only two single men that I knew on the track, and he said it was neither of them.

There is much detail about James and Lawrence White in one of the volumes of Balnarring Byways, available at the Rosebud Library and possibly at your local branch. I can't recall whether it specifies crown allotments or year of settlement but it may. I don't think the books are available for loan and if you will find it hard to access the books, give me a yell.
Regards, me.

Yes, we are on the northern boundary of 60A and are occupants of a very old single storey weatherboard farmhouse, which presumably was built by the Whites, as it is quite a substantial building even now.

The building was probably built of timber milled on site, as it is quarter-sawn and the marks of the big saw are visible both on the structural timbers and the weatherboards. We are currently adding on to the house in the same style, with its ten foot ceilings. There are also two extant chimneys from the old house with hand-made bricks, which are also quite a feature.
Unfortunately the old buttery and cheesery are long gone, but looking for photos
Regards

John

I just found why John White, obviously not a son of James White, was administering the will of James in 1900. The hay might have been grown on 60A or another farm, of 160 acres, near Bittern station.

James White a well known resident of Balnarring, on Monday afternoon fell of a load of hay whilst loading a dray. He fell on his head and was instantaneously killed through the dislocation of his neck. Deceased was a single man. A post-mortem examination was conducted on Tuesday when a verdict of accidental death was returned. (P.3,Mornington Standard, 7-12-1899.)

While hunting for an obituary to find when 60A was settled or a legal notice to find John White's relationship to the deceased James,I found a bit of dirt on Lawrence White and his son,James - a sheep stealing charge.

MORNINGTON. Police Court. Before Mr Smallman P. M. and Messers G. S. Hepburn, W. M. Irvine and W. C. Walker J's P.
Mornington Standard (Vic. : 1889 - 1908) Thursday 15 November 1900 p 3 Article Illustrated
... . Hepburn, W. M. Irvine and W. C Walker J's P. Laurence White of Balnarring and James White his son a lad of ..

James White had another farm, of 160 acres.*.(60A is 95 acres, CORRECTION 90 ACRES!) The article is being digitised apparently.
CLOSER SETTLEMENT. ACTIVITY AT MORNINGTON. MORNTNGTON, Monday. [coming soon]
The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Tuesday 8 May 1906 p 6 Article
... closer settlement. In addition, the executors of the late James White's estate have sold 160 acres* at ... Balnarring at £5 5/ per acre to Mr. Berriman, of Beaufort.

* and has also just disposed of 160 acres in the estate of the late Mr James White, situated close to Bittern railway station, (P.2, Mornington Standard, 5-5-1906.)


John White was spending more than just the purchase price of 60A unless his tour was at the expense of the government.
Mr John White, of Balnarring, who has been away on an extended tour through England, South Africa, and several other countries, returned home last Tuesday.
(P.2, Mornington Standard, 8-3-1902.)

Mr John White, of Balnarring, who only recently returned from the war,has re-enlisted with the Contingent at present in camp.
(P.2, Mornington Standard, 3-5-1902.)

John White,executor of the single James White and grantee of 60A, was the eldest son of Lawrence White. He seemed to have owned a horse called INVESTMENT which stood at 60A.

Family Notices
Kilmore Free Press (Kilmore, Vic. : 1870 - 1954) Thursday 30 May 1912 p 3 Family Notices
... celebrated of Mr b John White, eldest son of the late Mr ti Laurence White, of Balnarring, and Miss

I'll try to have a look at the Flinders Road District rates (1869-1874) tomorrow to find if James White was assessed on 95 (correction,90) acres and if not there, the Shire of Flinders and Kangerong rates from 1875. Net Annual Values usually give an indication of when a homestead was built and extended.

Thanks xxx, very interesting, regards John.

I'm afraid that it's going to be near-impossible to determine the age of any buildings on crown allotment 60A Bittern. Titles information might help but I doubt it because they mainly concern the location and dimensions/ area of the land. I've researched the White land in each year from 1869 to 1907 and then, knowing about Cr Terry's demand for properties to be described properly, in 1911 and 1913.

James White seems to have built a house in between the assessments of 1884 and 1885 when the nett annual value of his property rose from 20 pounds to 25 pounds. There was a further rise in N.A.V. to 28 pounds in the 1888 assessment which could have been caused by an addition to the house or a general increase in the value of farmland as this was the height of the land boom. The value of his land then remained unchanged until 1905 (after 60A Bittern had simply disappeared from the face of the earth.)

In the Flinders Road Board's first assessment of 1869, neither James nor Laurence White was mentioned in the Bittern division (parish.) In 1870, Laurence was leasing 95 acres (N.A.V. 5 pounds 5 shillings) from the Crown. In 1874,the N.A.V. rose to 6 pounds 6 shillings.

The first Flinders and Kangerong Shire assessment in 1875 does not record either of the Whites but the 1876 rates showed that Lawrence was still leasing the 95 acres at Bittern from the Crown,the N.A.V. rising to 9 pounds.As stated previously he received the grant for 59B at the end of 1878 and the rate collector acknowledged his ownership in 1880. The following year "buildings" raised the N.A.V.to 10 pounds. In 1905 the value of his property doubled, obviously because of a more substantial BUILDING. His assessment remained the same for the next two years. The disappearance of James White's 60A necessitated a jump to 1911 and I forgot to record Laurence's assessment in that year. In 1913, there was no assessment of Laurence but James White, the former 14 year old student charged with sheep stealing, was rated on 96 acres, c/a 59 B,Bittern, N.A.V. 24 pounds. It would be extremely likely that Laurence had been on 59B by the 1870 assessment.

In 1876, James White was rated on 160 acres, Balnarring, N.A.V. 12 pounds and he was recorded as the owner in 1877. The N.A.V. rose to 15 pounds in 1879 and 17 pounds in 1881 when he was rated on 250 acres,Bittern and Balnarring and buildings. Amazing! The addition of 60B Bittern, which James must have settled in late 1880 or early to mid 1881, had only lifted the NAV by 2 pounds. The rise to 20 pounds in 1882 would seem to have been well warranted. In 1885,it rose to 25 pounds and in 1888 to 28 pounds, possibly because of additions to buildings or rising values caused by the 1880's boom. The value of the 160 acres in the parish of Balnarring (near the station as mentioned previously) increased by 2 pounds in 1905.

In 1899, some effort had been made to identify the 160 acres in Balnarring,with 74A,74B being noted. This is nonsense as crown allotment 74 Balnarring is nowhere near the Bittern railway station, and in fact became the Red Hill Village Settlement. This is a problem to be solved at another time,60A Bittern being our focus. By 1901 John White was recorded as the owner of the 250 acres,now specified as 160 acres Balnarring (NAV 18 pounds),and 90 acres Bittern (NAV 10 pounds),still a total of 28 pounds.

In 1902 the executors of James White were assessed on 160 acres Balnarring and "William Myers owner" was written in the assessment for 90 acres, Bittern. I must be blind because I could find no Myers' assessment in 1903! However Mrs Myers was rated on 90 acres Bittern in 1905 and 1906. I wanted proof that Mrs Myers had 60A, so remembering Cr Terry's campaign for proper descriptions of properties, I jumped to 1911. Mrs Myers was assessed on 90 acres,c/a 60A Bittern! The NAV was 10 pounds so James White's supposed house of 1885 must have been on the 160 acres near the Bittern station, or, if it was on 60A, in a fairly dilapidated condition. It would seem that the extant buildings on your property were built by the Myers family.

My next message speculated that the 160 acres might have actually been in the parish of Bittern, one of two blocks of roughly that size to the north / north west of 60A Bittern and granted to William Myers. Further rate research has proved that not to be the case.


FINDINGS.
THERE WAS NO HOUSE ON 60a BITTERN EVEN IN THE LAST RATE RECORD AVAILABLE ON MICROFICHE, 1919. The Myer family had occupied 60a since 1902 and in every assessment up to 1919,no house was mentioned, as had always been the case. Strangely no house was mentioned in the 1905 advertisement for the 160 acres that Mr Berryman bought many months later in mid 1906.

JAMES WHITE'S 160 ACRES (PART OF L.J. BERRYMAN'S 206 ACRES.)
It as if everyone had conspired to make it impossible to identify the 160 acres, Balnarring (parish)on which James White was rated in the first Flinders Road Board assessment of 1869. If it was not for Westley's 1905 advertisement and the two 1906 sales reports,the location could never have been identified. Berryman was assessed on 206 acres 18b Sub Crown allotment 26 Balnarring from 1906 to 1911 so he had to have owned James White's 160 acres (actually 154 acres, 3 roods 0 perches; 26AB, fronting the west side of Warrawee Rd)and 46 acres of 18B,immediately north, of 54 acres 3 roods and 6 perches.

What doesn't make sense is J.G.Benton was granted 26A, 26 B and 18B,the last on 15-10-1880 and issue dates for the others not stated, while James White was assessed on his 160 acres from 1869,combined with the 90 acre 60A Bittern as 250 acres from 1881. It was not until 1901, with James White's executor,Lawrence White's eldest son, John,listed as the owner of both that the composition of the 250 acres was revealed. It would then appear that James leased the 160 acres from the Crown until 1880 and then leased or bought it from Benton in 1881. A complication is that James Benton was assessed on 151 acres Balnarring NEAR PAUL VANSUYLEN until at least 1870 at the same time as James White was assessed on 160 acres.

From 1912,Louis Joshua Berryman was assessed on 26AB, now described as 155 acres (only 20 metres x 50 metres more than the exact area)and Mrs Annie Jane Berryman on 17AB and 18AB of 177 acres,north to 192 J-K1 fronting Balnarring Rd. In 1919 this remained the same (A.N. 2909 and 2910) but Louis (2911) was alsorted on lots 38-42,46, 47,part crown allotment 27,about 60 acres and buildings,Balnarring. One of the BUILDINGS was the WARRAWEE HOMESTEAD, 27AB being the triangle whose west side is indicated by Warrawee Rd.

Descriptions in 1905 advertisement and 1906 sales reports.
6th OCTOBER, 1905,
At Two O'clock,
At 311, COLLINS STREET
MT. ELIZA, FRANKSTON, 1 mile Moorooduc Station; coach from Frankston, nearly EIGHT ACRES. Dairying, Orchard (prize fruits), Grazing, W.B.DWELLING, 6 Rooms, newly renovated, Stabling, Cow-shed, Barn, Tanks. A charming country residence.

BITTERN, Dromana road, *4.5 miles Station, 160 ACRES, 25 Acres cleared and grubbed, balance rung and partly picked up, Chocolate Soil, securely fenced and well watered.

BALNARRING. 308 ACRES. 1 ROOD, 34 PERCHES, " GROUVILLE," about 4 miles Bittern Station, Allotment 15,Parish of Balnarring, known as *JOURNEAUX'S.
H.B. WESTLEY, ? AUCTIONEER and sworn valuer of 63 Queen street, Melbourne; will sell as above. (P.5, Mornington Standard, 23-9-1905.)

CLOSER SETTLEMENT. ACTIVITY AT MORNINGTON. MORNTNGTON, Monday. [coming soon]
The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Tuesday 8 May 1906 p 6 Article
... closer settlement. In addition, the executors of the late James White's estate have sold 160 acres* at ... Balnarring at £5 5/ per acre to Mr. Berriman, of Beaufort.

PROPERTY SALES. - Mr H.D.Westley, auctioneer, Melbourne,informs us that he has sold the remaining allotment in the estate of the late Mr Charles Wright, and has also just disposed of 160 acres in the estate of the late Mr James White, situated close to Bittern railway station, and also 308 acres known as "Journeaux." Balnarring.
(P.2, Mornington Standard, 5-5-1906.)

*The Balnarring Station, now Civic Court,did not exist until the Red Hill line was opened in 1921 so the station referred to in 1905 was the Bittern station. Measurement on Melway shows that the south east corner of
26AB (Stanley/Warrawee Rd corner)is four and a half miles from the Bittern Station EXACTLY.
Rate records.


LOUIS JOSHUA BERRYMAN.

The Balnarring District. PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENTS.
Mornington and Dromana Standard (Vic. : 1908 - 1911) Saturday 3 July 1909 p 2 Article

The Balnarring district, situated on the Southern end of the Mornington peninsula, affords proof that even
rich lands, when held in large areas,may fail to be a beneficial investment. Notwithstanding that the district is within a mile or two of the Bittern railway station, that it is not more than forty miles distant from Melbourne, that the rainfall is ample and well distributed, and that being near the sea ensures an equable and mild climate,yet it is notable that the holders of large estates in Balnarring and neighborhood have not prospered. As compared with smaller holdings of from 100 to 300 acres in area, these large properties do not make a favorable showing. Generally the fences are in disrepair, the ground is covered with fern and scrub, rabbits abound,and there is a general air of down at the heels.

UNFAVORABLE EXCEPTIONS.
The explanation of this state of affairs is easily stated. Some twenty years ago Balnarring was regarded as
good grazing country. Sheep and cattle flourished on the natural grasses, and those who had large holdings
were able to put them to profitable use. In those days there were no rabbits. About fifteen years ago this
pest made its appearance in the district, and finding the country to its liking rapidly increased in numbers.
Soon the rabbits practically took possession of the whole countryside.

They ate down and destroyed the more succulent grasses, and. with their disappearance went the utility of the
country from a grazing point of view. Then, as the rabbits kept down the more nutritious herbage, coarser
growths began to assert themselves. Bracken and shrubs continued to make headway, until to-day some thousands
of acres of fertile land in Balnarring are thus rendered temporarily valueless to either the individual or the community. Many of the large estate owners have apparently abandoned the fight, and it is the reverse of a
pleasing experience in driving along the main road from Bittern to Flinders to pass mile after mile of beautiful rich land capable of sustaining a large population, but now overgrown with fern and rubbish, practically given over to the rabbits.

IMPROVING THE POSITION.
Within the past five years some northern farmers have come into the district, and by bringing the plough
into use have demonstrated what the soils of the district will yield under proper treatment. Previous, however, to undertaking any tillage work they have completely wire-netted their holdings in order to keep the rabbits
out. With this immunity secured they have then cleaned up the harbor on their own land, and by ferreting and poisoning have effectually put an end to the rabbit trouble. These newer agriculturists have confined their purchases to areas of from 160 to 300 acres, the conclusions of the more experienced men being that the former
acreage is ample for one man to adequately work. The new settlers hail from the Western plains and the mallee, and all express themselves as well satisfied with the results already obtained.

ILLUSTRATIVE FARMS.
A typical representative of the new settlers is found in Mr L. J. Berryman, formerly of the Western plains,
his previous home being about eight miles south of Buangor. This settler's holding is within about four miles of the Bittern railway station, and consists of less than 300 acres of average quality land. When he took
possession his first work was to wire net, and then dig out the rabbits. Next he commenced to plough up what has been previously regarded as only fit for grass. This evoked the ridicule of other settlers, and he was
warned that by turning up the sod he would destroy the grass. It was also maintained that his experiences with
cropping would be unsatisfactory, because, as it was asserted, the land was not fit for cultivation. Mr Berryman preferred to find out by actual experience, and he worked the soil on the thorough lines which his previous experience had proved successful. The results turned out exceptionally good, and having now been repeated for four years fully justify the verdict that the Balnarring soils, when properly tilled, will yield regular and remunerative crops.

THE FARMING PRACTICE.
Mr Berryman's experience has demonstrated that mixed farming easily pays best. Rape thrives especially well in the Balnarring district, and this year there are several hundred acres thus seeded. In every case the plants are vigorous and forward, ranging, on the occasion of the writer's visit (the first week of June), from a
foot to eighteen inches in height. In every case they were easily carrying from 10 to 12 large crossbred sheep
to the acre. The association of sheep raising with grain growing is, in Mr Berryman's experience, the most profitable use to which the land can be put.Last year on 28 acres he obtained a heavy yield of Algerian oats and wheat mixed,thick,well headed and weighty. The average was 4 tons to the acre. The same field was ploughedup again in March, after the sheep had been given a good chance at the stubble.It was again reseeded with 3 lb. of rape to the acre in April, and the resulting growth was so substantial that by the middle of May he was carrying over eight large framed crossbred sheep to the acre. At the same time another 28 acres of new,roughly cleared land was put in with rape, and, although the growth here is not so good as on the stubble, 410 large sheep were being easily carried on this 50 acres.(etc.)



THE BLUE LOOKOUT by Jean Bryant (Transcribed from BALNARRING BYWAYS AND MEMORIES,VOLUME ,PAGE 47.)
In the 1890's James WHYTE and Laurence WHYTE and their famil(ies?) lived on a property at the top of a hill in Balnarring Rd south of Hunts Rd. It was called the Blue lookout and there were TWO houses on the property. On the 4th December 1899, Jim fell off a load of hay and was killed. He was helping his neighbour,MrTullis, to get in his hay. Dick Oswin,another neighbour helping had to then ride to Schnapper Point for the doctor and then on to Dromana for a policeman,only to find that the policeman had gone to Hastings.He went to Hastings the next day only to find the policeman had gone to Schnapper Point. (Jean mentioned that we take modern communication for granted!)

Larry Whyte and his wife Mary Anne (nee Bourke)had three sons,John (Jack),Patrick, James, and a daughter, Mary Ann. John and Pat,being old enough,went to the Boer War.Jim ran the property consisting of the usual sheep,cows and orchards but mostly the interest lay in horses. Jim bred horses and had a big stud stallion.He was a great horseman and went to Swan Hill and other places showing thoroughbreds for which he had many prizes.He married Elsie (Hinze CHECK, CAN'T READ MY SCRIBBLE)and had a daughter, Joan,and three younger boys. They used to delight in sitting on the corral fence rail and watch their father break in the horses. When Jim took the sheep to the market the family would follow in the jinker. The children went to Bittern West School in Hunt's Rd by pony.

In 1927,Jim was breaking in a circus pony which used to go under low branches to try and dislodge the rider. One night he did not return home and when his wife looked for him next morning she found him already dead. He was only 44 years old. (PHOTO OF ELSIE AND JIM ON THEIR HORSES.) Mrs Whyte had been expecting a baby and he was born on the day of the burial. Michael only lived for 18 months. Because Jim's two brothers were now settled in the city,the property was sold and Elsie took her family to the city too. Joan was eight years old at the time of the tragedy. In later years,she returned to nearby Hastings and with her husband Dick Bryant raised five children.

See comment 1 re Lawrence White's death notice and spelling of the surname.

BERRYMAN SEARCHES.
middle creek, george at Tatura,warrawee, eric rundle

JOURNEAUX SEARCHES,LOCATION OF GROUVILLE.