Cosford House

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The location of Cosford House is roughly 7km from Adelaide City. This account of its haunted history comes to us from the “East Torrens Messenger” newspaper in April 2011.

Whoever snaps up Hectorville’s oldest house will have to share it with friendly ghosts. Unusual noises are commonplace at the 160-year-old Cosford mansion on Binnswood Street, but owner James Moran says they are nothing to worry about.

‘You can hear footsteps upstairs… people walking around,’ Mr Moran said. ‘But it never worried me. As far as I was concerned they were friendly.’

Mr Moran said the house, which was for sale for an expected price of more than $1.4 million, often smelt of snuffed out candles. One night a cupboard bolted to a wall crashed to the ground.

‘There is no way it could have fallen off by itself, it had help,’ he said.

Mr Moran, who has lived at Cosford House for more than 40 years, is unsure who haunts the mansion’s 12 rooms, as many people have lived there since Price Maurice built it in 1849 next to Fourth Creek on his 89 hectare farm.

Who are these unknown residents at Cosford House?

Let’s start from the beginning.



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When the land was first subdivided in 1838, a cottage was built for its new owner William Henry Neale. He came to South Australia aboard the “Cygnet” in 1836 along with his wife and five children. A sixth child, a son, was born at Nepean Bay (Kangaroo Island) on the 13th of September 1836, not long after their arrival in the Colony. The newborn became ill and two months later he died after being taken to Holdfast Bay (Glenelg). William believed this child was the first born in South Australia.

He and his wife Mary Elizabeth (Nee Young) had two more children, Charlotte Catherine, born in Adelaide 11th June 1838 and Rose Helen, born at Fourth Creek on 6th February 1841. An auctioneer by profession, he was declared insolvent on July 16th 1853. William Henry Neale died on May 9th 1886 at Echuca and is buried in Bendigo Victoria.

No known deaths of any Neale family members at Fourth Creek Cottage.



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The new owner of Fourth Creek was Price Maurice. In 1849 he built a two story house on the estate, next door to the cottage that had been home to the Neale family. He called the property simply "Fourth Creek.” He also owned a large property at Castambul.

Price Maurice had the largest flock of Angora Goats of anywhere in the continent. He also had properties at Pekina and Oladdie the combined area of each was around 671 sq. miles. On these properties the greatest number of sheep shorn in one year was 118,000 yielding 2,003 bales of wool. He also leased the Warrow, Lake Hamillton Run and the Bramfield Run, on the Port Lincoln Peninsula. The size of these properties was a further 943sq miles.

Holding a further 97,000 sheep producing 1,553 bales of wool. The administration of some of these properties, particularly those in the North of South Australia caused him serious health problems, and was instrumental in his returning to England to regain his health. A manager and his son were left to look after his interests in South Australia. He was never to return.

It was to be another decade and a half before George Goyder was to provide information on the lack of rainfall north of his Goyder’s Line. To this day Goyder’s Line denotes areas of poor rainfall not suitable for cropping or grazing. The death of Price Maurice was announced in 1894 in England.



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In 1864 John Hawkins bought part of the estate on Fourth Creek including the two story house, which he named “Cosford.”  He moved in with his wife Anna and five children. However, after only a few months, tragedy struck the family.



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One of the tragic stories is the death of Mrs Anna Hawkins in 1864. The Hawkins family had only just arrived on the ship ‘Orient’ in August 1864 and purchased ‘Fourth Creek House’ in mid-September 1864, when the fatal accident happened the following month.

Adelaide Express (SA), Thursday 27 October 1864:—We regret to learn that the unfortunate lady, Mrs Hawkins, whose severe accident from being thrown by a horse and kicked by the animal, died at half-past 10 o'clock last night, from the fearful injuries she received.

Our readers can form no idea of the awful nature of the injuries, nor of the agonies endured by the poor sufferer. The calamity so sudden, and so dreadful, has thrown the family into the deepest distress; in fact, the whole affair is most heartrending.



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Less than 2 years later, her husband dies of natural causes.

Deaths—HAWKINS. —On the 17th July, 1866, at his residence Cosford House, John Hawkins, Esq, aged 75 years.

After John Hawkins died, he left behind five children, three under 21 years of age. In his will, that had been poorly worded, his three children (under 21) were to be looked after by the sale of the estate. The will was contested by the Attorney General on behalf of the children under 21.

The outcome of the court case was, that the property was to be leased and the income to be shared by the three minors. It could not be sold until after the last child had attained the age of 21, or had married prior to reaching that age. A cash settlement was to be given if any child married before 21 years. This ruling was by the Chief Justice of South Australia.

The Cosford House was leased to the Ward family.



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The next occupant Alfred Ward, leased Cosford House in December 1866, however, his wife Rosa died later that same month.

Deaths—WARD.—On the 23rd December, 1866, at Cosford House, after a short illness, Rosa, the beloved wife of Mr. Alfred Ward.



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Only 12 days later, his daughter dies.

Deaths—WARD.—On the 4th January, 1867, at Cosford House, after a short illness, Rosa Alice, eldest daughter of Mr. Alfred Ward, aged 15 years.



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2 days later, his brother dies.

Deaths—WARD. —On the 6th January, 1867, at Cosford House, after a short illness, Mr. George Ward, leaving a widow and family to lament their loss.

Alfred Ward died in March 16, 1894, aged 73 at North Adelaide.

In 1908, Thomas Binns Robson purchased the Cosford House.



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[KANACKI]

Hello Headless great story. I await the rest with interest.

Kanacki

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Born in Cheshire, England, Thomas Binns Robson married a South Australian girl, Miss Henrietta Watson who had gone to England, where they married in March 1871. Henrietta Watson was the sister of Charlotte Emily Watson who was married to John Sanderson Lloyd a previous owner of Cosford House.

The Robsons both arrived in Adelaide aboard the Barque “Corrientes” in August 1871. Shortly after arriving they bought and settled on an Estate in Hectorville. They called it Ellythorpe after his father Henry Ellythorpe Robson of Wirral in Cheshire.

He planted trees and set up a dried fig industry there.  He introduced the fig wasp into South Australia, which was essential to pollinate the Smyrna and Capri figs used in his industry. In 1905 he imported figs with the wasp larvae in them from California. The trees grew and prospered but the larvae died because of cold weather.  In 1909 he again imported figs and larvae from South Africa. This time it was successful. They continued to expand their fruit growing and dried fruit processing industry.



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However, the Robson’s lost their son, he was born on the 9th of October 1877.

Deaths—William Ellythorpe Robson, died on 17 Feb, 1890, at North Adelaide Private Hospital, aged 13 years old.

Ellythorpe Estate was next door to Cosford Estate, so when it came up for sale in 1908, Thomas Binns Robson purchased it. He moved in to Cosford House and his son Henry Binns Robson remained at Ellythorpe Estate.



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10 years later, the Robson’s son-in-law passed away at their residence.

Deaths—BEDFORD.—On the 31st December (suddenly), 1918, at the residence of his father-in-law (Mr. T. B. Robson), Cosford House, Hectorville, Alfred dearly loved husband of Mary E. Bedford, aged 45 years.



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Followed by Mr and Mrs Robson.

Deaths—ROBSON. — On the 29th January, 1923, at her residence, Cosford House, Hectorville, Henrietta, dearly loved wife of Thomas B. Robson, aged 74 years.


Wed, 22 Apr, 1925, Mr. Thomas Binns Robson, fruit-grower and preserver, Hectorville, died at his residence Cosford House today in his eighty-second year.



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After Thomas Binns Robson died, his son Henry remained at Ellythorpe and his daughter Mrs Mary Bedford and his other son Walter Binns Robson moved into Cosford House.

Henry Died 15 Jun 1955 at age 83 in Curtis's Farm, near Mount Torrens, South Australia.

Walter died about 1955 at age 76 (location unknown)

Mary died 1926 at about age 52 in South Australia (location unknown)

The family fruit growing and processing business continued to expand.  A commercial processing plant was built on the estate at Hectorville. The Company was called Robson Jarvis & Co. Charles Binns Robson a grandson of the founder was the last descendant when the company ceased trading in the mid 1950’s.

For over 40 years James Coran was unsure of who haunted his Cosford House, have to admit, so am I.