(Surveyor) Spencer Bransby

Spencer Bransby (c1816 – 1874)

The following notice appeared in the Government Gazette in September 1858:
Department of Land and Public Works,
Sydney 2nd September, 1858,
SURVEYOR OF THE SECOND CLASS.
HIS Excellency the Governor General, with the advice of the Executive Council, has been pleased to appoint Mr. Spencer L. Bransby, to be a Surveyor of the Second Class in the Department of the Surveyor General.
JOHN ROBERTSON.

Bransby’s appointment was obviously welcomed. This from the Goulburn Herald on September 18th 1858: The last number of the Goulburn Herald noticed the appointment of Spencer L. Bransby, Esq., as Government Surveyor and a Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district of Monaro. From the estimation in which this gentleman is held, I am certain it is an announcement which will give general satisfaction.

Prior to this, Bransby had obviously been working in the Bega area. A history of Bega (in the Bega District News of 16th June 1941) recorded that During March 1857, Mr. Licensed Surveyor Spencer Bransby reported to the Surveyor-General that "the inhabitants of Bega requiring a general cemetery have requested me to apply on their behalf for eight acres to be laid out in the usual manner in allotment 5 of section 46, bounded on the east by Auckland Street, on the north by Upper Street (now the site of the Bega High School and the recently-vacated Police Station)…The ground is very suitable for the purpose, being on a rise, clear and good digging, with easy access." The cemetery site, as desired, was measured in April,1857, in allotments for each denomination, and was dedicated on 16th July, 1863.

That same year, he built the Family Hotel building (now the Bega Pioneers’ Museum building) on the corner of Auckland and Bega Streets.

In 1871 Spencer Bransby was one of the signatories to a petition from residents of Bega, asking that the town be incorporated ‘because the town and suburbs of Bega are almost impassable, and little or no expenditure has been made by the Government to remedy the evil; and because they consider that the only means of keeping pace with other towns is by local taxation, and obtaining a fair share of the Government endowment for necessary local works.’

Bransby died at Coxon’s Hotel, Moruya on October 23rd 1874. This is how the Monaro Mercury (4th November 1874) recorded his passing: Intelligence was received by telegram from Moruya that Mr. Bransby died there last week…The late Mr. Bransby may be said to have nursed our young township, and many of the best farms about Bega, land now worth extravagant rates, depend for their boundary line on the old track of Surveyor Bransby's chain. The deceased was a native of Ipswich, England, and was educated as a Surveyor, and came to this colony nearly a quarter of a century ago, He came to Bega under engagement with the Messrs. Manning twenty years since, at the time they purchased the Walker's station properties (these included the land that was to become the Kameruka Estate). After completing his engagement with the Mannings, Mr. Bransby assisted Mr. Drake, the then District Surveyor, for some time, and was afterwards appointed to the office. The township of Bega was then laid out on the north side of the river, but Mr. Bransby seeing that the main trade must come from this side, laid out the present township and named its streets. He at one time owned considerable properties in and about the town, but soured by family troubles and the loss of an only son, he gave way to intemperate habits, and his properties one by one were lost to him. He was recently employed in some surveys on the Bodalla Estate, and his health, which had been for some time failing, seems to have given way just as his work was completed and he expired on Friday last in the 58th year of his age.