Macclesfield, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Macclesfield is a small town on the upper reaches of the River Angas
in the Adelaide Hills
region of South Australia
. At the 2006 census
, Macclesfield had a population of 832.
Macclesfield is in the District Council of Mount Barker
local government area, the state electorate of Heysen
and the federal
Division of Mayo
.
in England and together with partners Frederick Luck (quarter share) and Roger Cunliffe (1/8 share) paid £4416 for a special survey of 4416 acres (1619 ha) in South Australia
. He sent his eldest son (George) Francis to select the land, arriving in Adelaide
in February 1840. After initially considering land near Port Lincoln
, Francis selected land on the upper reaches of the River Angas
, including what is now the town of Macclesfield. This was the last of the special surveys in the area. The town of Macclesfield was named after the Earl of Macclesfield
, to whom George Davenport was a steward in England. Francis Davenport returned to England in 1841, leaving Henry Giles to manage his affairs.
Francis and his wife Sarah returned in February 1843 along with Samuel
, his wife Margaret (married 1 June 1842) and their other brother Robert. Francis died on 8 April 1843 (probably of typhus
) and the remaining brothers lived at Macclesfield and managed the survey.
The first hotel, The Goat's Head Inn, was established in 1841. It was later known as the Macclesfield Arms, Davenport Arms, and now Three Brothers' Arms after the three Davenport brothers. The brewery next door to the hotel was opened by 1851, but converted to a butter and cheese factory around 1903 and abandoned in favour of a new factory in 1937.
Macclesfield has been served by a primary school since 1876.
River Angas
The River Angas is a small river rising on the eastern side of the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. Its headwaters are near Macclesfield and it flows generally southward through Strathalbyn, emptying into Lake Alexandrina near the town of Milang....
in the Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
region of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Macclesfield had a population of 832.
Macclesfield is in the District Council of Mount Barker
District Council of Mount Barker
The District Council of Mount Barker is a Local Government Area centred on the town of Mount Barker just outside of the Adelaide metropolitan area in South Australia.- Towns and localities :...
local government area, the state electorate of Heysen
Electoral district of Heysen
Heysen is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Sir Hans Heysen, a prominent South Australian landscape artist. It is a 616 km² electoral district stretching from residential suburbs in the east and southeast of Adelaide...
and the federal
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
Division of Mayo
Division of Mayo
The Division of Mayo is an Australian Electoral Division located in the hills, east of Adelaide, South Australia and currently includes the towns of Victor Harbor, Lobethal, Mount Barker, Strathalbyn, Woodside and Kingscote....
.
History
George Davenport was an English banker who was a director of the South Australia CompanySouth Australia Company
The South Australian Company was formed in London on 9 October 1835 by George Fife Angas and other wealthy British merchants to develop a new settlement in South Australia; its purpose was to build a new colony...
in England and together with partners Frederick Luck (quarter share) and Roger Cunliffe (1/8 share) paid £4416 for a special survey of 4416 acres (1619 ha) in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. He sent his eldest son (George) Francis to select the land, arriving in Adelaide
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 February 1840. After initially considering land near Port Lincoln
Port Lincoln, South Australia
- Transport :Port Lincoln is the port for the isolated narrow gauge Eyre Peninsular Railway.There is also a subsidiary port at Proper Bay which may be restored to use for iron ore traffic. The export of iron ore through Port Lincoln has been approved by the South Australian Government. Port...
, Francis selected land on the upper reaches of the River Angas
River Angas
The River Angas is a small river rising on the eastern side of the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. Its headwaters are near Macclesfield and it flows generally southward through Strathalbyn, emptying into Lake Alexandrina near the town of Milang....
, including what is now the town of Macclesfield. This was the last of the special surveys in the area. The town of Macclesfield was named after the Earl of Macclesfield
Earl of Macclesfield
Earl of Macclesfield is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the soldier and politician Charles Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard...
, to whom George Davenport was a steward in England. Francis Davenport returned to England in 1841, leaving Henry Giles to manage his affairs.
Francis and his wife Sarah returned in February 1843 along with Samuel
Samuel Davenport
Sir Samuel Davenport KCMG was one of the early settlers of Australia and became a landowner and parliamentarian in South Australia....
, his wife Margaret (married 1 June 1842) and their other brother Robert. Francis died on 8 April 1843 (probably of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
) and the remaining brothers lived at Macclesfield and managed the survey.
The first hotel, The Goat's Head Inn, was established in 1841. It was later known as the Macclesfield Arms, Davenport Arms, and now Three Brothers' Arms after the three Davenport brothers. The brewery next door to the hotel was opened by 1851, but converted to a butter and cheese factory around 1903 and abandoned in favour of a new factory in 1937.
Macclesfield has been served by a primary school since 1876.