Beaumont, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Beaumont is a suburb of Adelaide
in the City of Burnside
. Founded as a purpose-built village by Sir Samuel Davenport
in 1848, it initially struggled due to high land prices in the area. However, with Adelaide's inevitable expansion residents eventually settled. The early village had quite a cosmopolitan flavour - although predominantly Anglo-Saxon like most of Australia at this point, many of Beaumont's early residents were veterans of the British Navy or Army or had lived in other countries for some time. Beaumont House
, constructed around 1850 for Augustus Short
, still stands and is now owned by the National Trust of South Australia. Edward Burton Gleeson
, the founder of the Mid North
town of Clare
originally owned a farm within the boundaries of Beaumont in the early 1840s, which he named Gleeville. He became bankrupt, sold his holdings to Davenport in 1842 and later moved to the Clare Valley
region.
The original village was centred around a small park known as the "Beaumont Common" (or to residents simply as "The Common"). The suburb has now expanded south-east in the direction of the hills however, with newer developments now on the face of the Adelaide Hills.
. They appointed Burnside Council a co-trustee following an undertaking by Council to maintain The Common as an open space public park. As the remaining trustees aged, Burnside Council then attempted many times to instead build on the Common, against the wishes of Beaumont residents. Residents were successful in ensuring what later became the JB Cleland kindergarten, The Hazelwood Park Swimming Pool, the Beaumont Uniting Church Tennis Courts and the Beaumont Bowling Club were all erected elsewhere. Several attempts over the years to build public lavatories and entertainment facilities were also rebuffed. Burnside Council refused to agree to any further trustee appointments as trustees died. The remaining trustees attempted to appoint Gordon Ditter (Ditters Nuts). Council refused. Fearing an attempt to obtain control of the Common by attrition, residents petitioned the State Government in 1971 to remove Burnside Council as a trustee by act of SA Parliament. Burnside Council objected. Several heated meetings between Council and residents ensured. To resolve the impasse the State Government declared Beaumont Common a public park under the Parks and Gardens Act with clauses prohibiting any future building to ever take place on Beaumont Common. Later revisions of the Act have had those clauses removed. No resident consultation on their removal ever took place.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in the City of Burnside
City of Burnside
The City of Burnside is a local government area with an estimated population of 44,300 people in the South Australian city of Adelaide. Burnside was founded in August 1856 as the District Council of Burnside, and was classed as a city in 1943. It is named after the property of an early settler and...
. Founded as a purpose-built village by Sir Samuel Davenport
Samuel Davenport
Sir Samuel Davenport KCMG was one of the early settlers of Australia and became a landowner and parliamentarian in South Australia....
in 1848, it initially struggled due to high land prices in the area. However, with Adelaide's inevitable expansion residents eventually settled. The early village had quite a cosmopolitan flavour - although predominantly Anglo-Saxon like most of Australia at this point, many of Beaumont's early residents were veterans of the British Navy or Army or had lived in other countries for some time. Beaumont House
Beaumont House
Beaumont House, occasionally known as Claremont, is an eclectic Romanesque-Classical brick residence located at 631 Glynburn Road in Beaumont, South Australia...
, constructed around 1850 for Augustus Short
Augustus Short
Augustus Short , was the first Anglican bishop of Adelaide, South Australia.- Early life and career :Born at Bickham House, near Exeter, Devon, England, the third son of Charles Short, a London barrister, offspring of an old English county family, and his wife Grace, daughter of Humphrey Millett...
, still stands and is now owned by the National Trust of South Australia. Edward Burton Gleeson
Edward Burton Gleeson
Edward Burton Gleeson , also known as “Paddy” Gleeson, was a South Australian settler, farmer and founder of the town of Clare....
, the founder of the Mid North
Mid North
The Mid North is a region of South Australia, north of the Adelaide Plains, but not as far north as the Far North, or outback. It is generally accepted to extend from Spencer Gulf east to the Barrier Highway, including the coastal plain, the southern part of the Flinders Ranges, and the northern...
town of Clare
Clare, South Australia
The town of Clare is located in South Australia in the Mid North region, 136 km north of Adelaide. It gives its name to the Clare Valley wine and tourist region.-History:One of the first settlers in the area was John Horrocks, in 1839...
originally owned a farm within the boundaries of Beaumont in the early 1840s, which he named Gleeville. He became bankrupt, sold his holdings to Davenport in 1842 and later moved to the Clare Valley
Clare Valley
The Clare Valley is one of Australia's oldest wine regions, best known for Riesling wines. It lies in the Mid North of South Australia, approximately 120 km north of Adelaide. The valley runs north-south, with Main North Road as the main thoroughfare....
region.
The original village was centred around a small park known as the "Beaumont Common" (or to residents simply as "The Common"). The suburb has now expanded south-east in the direction of the hills however, with newer developments now on the face of the Adelaide Hills.
Beaumont Common
Beaumont Common was an English style Common. Ownership of The Common was originally vested in trust only for those residents living within the Village of Beaumont, that is the bounds of Cooper Place, Beaumont Road (now Glynburn Road), Dashwood Road and Devereaux Road (as if it actually continued due south to Dashwood instead of meandering to the east at West Tce). Originally it was fenced and gated with the key being available only to residents of the Village of Beaumont. The fence and gates were removed in the early 20th century. The trust deed was lodged at the Land Titles Office Adelaide. Trustees remaining on the death of a trustee appointed a successor by unanimous not majority vote. The last trustees included the late Alfred Scammell (of Fauldings) and J B ClelandJohn Burton Cleland
Sir John Burton Cleland CBE was a renowned Australian naturalist, microbiologist, mycologist and ornithologist.-Early Life and education:...
. They appointed Burnside Council a co-trustee following an undertaking by Council to maintain The Common as an open space public park. As the remaining trustees aged, Burnside Council then attempted many times to instead build on the Common, against the wishes of Beaumont residents. Residents were successful in ensuring what later became the JB Cleland kindergarten, The Hazelwood Park Swimming Pool, the Beaumont Uniting Church Tennis Courts and the Beaumont Bowling Club were all erected elsewhere. Several attempts over the years to build public lavatories and entertainment facilities were also rebuffed. Burnside Council refused to agree to any further trustee appointments as trustees died. The remaining trustees attempted to appoint Gordon Ditter (Ditters Nuts). Council refused. Fearing an attempt to obtain control of the Common by attrition, residents petitioned the State Government in 1971 to remove Burnside Council as a trustee by act of SA Parliament. Burnside Council objected. Several heated meetings between Council and residents ensured. To resolve the impasse the State Government declared Beaumont Common a public park under the Parks and Gardens Act with clauses prohibiting any future building to ever take place on Beaumont Common. Later revisions of the Act have had those clauses removed. No resident consultation on their removal ever took place.