The Historian March 2003
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WILLIAM JOSEPH SOUTHERWOOD
4TH June 1861 - 13th December 1937
William Joseph Southerwood was born
on the 4th June 1861 in Launceston. He
was the son of James Southerwood and
Ann Murphy. James and Ann had seven
children and William was the last born.
"CONVICT'S SON BECAME A
RACING LEGEND" so stated the
heading of an article appearing in the
Examiner newspaper dated 15th October
1985. In the series "Remember When"
Heather Donaldson of Westbury recalls
not only was Joseph Southerwood a
racing legend he was also a leading
identity in the business world of
Launceston. Heather's Great Grandfather
built a very successful business during
the coaching era in Launceston and his
coaching service extended to both the
East and West Tamar.
William's father James was transported
to Van Dieman's Land in 1825 for
stealing a tea chest containing tea and
two silver spoons. He was sentenced to
seven years, when he arrived in Hobart
Town he was 18 years old. He suffered
cruel and sadistic treatment, his jailers
tried to break his youthful spirit by
having him put on the treadmill
repeatedly and he was given numerous
lashes for what today would be
considered slight misdemeanors. He was
granted probationary status in 1832 and
he left Van Dieman's Land for Victoria.
It was there he met Ann Murphy and
they were married in 1843. They moved
to Perth, Tasmania in the early 1850's
where they bought an acre of land and a
house was built. James was a bricklayer
by trade; he died in 1877 aged 66 Years.
William's mother, Ann Murphy, was
born in Ireland in 1829. She had very
little learning and could neither read nor
write but following her husband's death
she bought land in the corner of Bell and
Queen Streets, King's Meadows and
another in Garfield Street, Launceston.
For an illiterate woman that was quite an
achievement. Ann Southerwood died in
1895 aged 66 years.
The Historian March 2003
At the time of her death her son,
William, a livery stable keeper, lived
with her in Garfield Street. He had been
educated at Mr. Kidd's school at
Evandale. After leaving school William
made extensive horse and cattle deals
and when quite a young man he
speculated in numerous land
transactions. In 1893 he bought a Bus
and Coach and Bait stables in York
Street, Launceston. (Mitchell Motors
later occupied the premises with Rolf
Vos' first shop on the corner of York and
Wellington Streets
At the age of 21 William married Lucy
Barker at her mother's home in
Cleveland, Tasmania. Lucy died in 1889
from typhoid at the tender age of 33
years. William re-married in 1892 to
Rose Anne the eldest daughter of James
Smith, Lower Piper, East Tamar.
By 1900 William Joseph Southerwood
had become well established in the
business life of Launceston. He
conducted a thriving horse, bus and
coach service that served parts of
Launceston, the East and West Tamar
until trams were introduced. His stables
in York Street accommodated 120
horses and all the latest styles of
conveyances, 90 in all and they were
always kept ready to hire. He also held
five Government Royal Mail contracts.
He was a member of St Andrew's Lodge
and connected with the No.1 Oddfellows
Lodge and he was a member of the
Launceston Stock Exchange.
He bought properties in Launceston
including a series of terraced houses in
York and Wellington Streets and bought
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the Mowbray and Newstead Hotels. He
also owned a large property named
"Lawrenny" that adjoined the Mowbray
Racecourse where he built his home
William Southerwood is credited with
being the founder of Exeter where he
bought 100 acres. Most of the land was
centered around a one storey Inn he built
in 1904 part of the acreage embraced an
area at the Glengarry turnoff. 45 acres
was orchard and that was by far the
largest orchard in the area at the time. In
1909 William sold the Glengarry corner
with a large block of land to the West
Tamar Farmers and Fruitgrowers
Association. The building of the Exeter
Inn- Hotel was a staging post for
William's horses and carriages; he ran a
service twice daily between Launceston
and the gold mining town of
Beaconsfield. He bought the
Beaconsfield Hotel as a staging post for
the northern end of the journey. The
hotels in both Exeter and Beaconsfield
remain in active business today still
giving first rate hospitality to regular
patrons and travellers. What memories
the two hotel buildings must hold.
The Exeter Inn would have been a
welcome sight for coach passengers and
tired horses when their journey was
broken at the half way stop over. In the
winter months passengers sat inside the
coaches with their feet resting on straw
spread over the floor to give them
warmth. They would be greeted at the
Exeter Inn with a roaring fire and served
a hot beverage while the horses were
changed. In the summer passengers
chose to ride outside the coaches but
The Historian March 2003
were covered with dust from the dirt
road and became exhausted by the heat.
How much they would have welcomed
the Exeter stop with time to partake of a
cool drink and enjoy the inn’s well
appointed comfort while the horses were
watered and rested. The Inn was built
well back from the road to give a wide
sweep in front to accommodate coaches,
horses and the visitors that traveled in
their own horse drawn conveyance. It is
easy to imagine the activity that must
have taken place when the coaches
arrived. The mail for outlying areas
would be unloaded for distribution and
mail for Beaconsfield taken on board.
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bearing the yellow and black
Southerwood colours. Even to this day
the Hobart Cup records show just one
dead heat and that was between
Southerwood's Trusty Blade and Nadir
Shah in 1920
Taken from the publication "The
Leader" William Southerwood's
contribution to the Tasmanian horse
racing scene would fill many pages.
Apart from being a successful owner
trainer he held official positions in the
Governing Bodies and he put every
Southerwood's coaches also ran twice
daily between Launceston and Lefroy.
William Southerwood bred his own
horses for the numbers needed and no
doubt over the years many hundred were
used in the different services offered.
William took an interest in mining and
sports particularly the sport of horse
racing. He had a long and successful
association with horse racing in the state
and records show that Southerwood
owned race horses which won 500 races
and 400 second places with stake money
totaling 35,000 pounds. There was not a
major race in the State that a
Southerwood horse did not win. The
race fraternity throughout the State of
Tasmania would have in their archives
the list of Southerwood raced winners
including such names as Montrose, the
best jumper that won six times between
1904-6. Other Southerwood horses
names in the racing memory include
Jumbo B. "W.J." Bendover and Trusty
Blade and there were many others
pound he won, and many more, back
into the sport he truly loved and
patronised in such a thoroughly
straightforward and honorable manner.
He gave his greatest service to
Tasmanian horse racing during the
depression years. He raced his horses as
far apart as Devonport and Hobart on
the same day and often saddled horses a
second time (against his better
judgement) merely to boost a field. If
only because he followed his life long
custom of thinking of others before
himself William Southerwood was
unquestionably the finest patron the
clubs had during this period.
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William Joseph Southerwood became
With thanks and acknowledgement to
one of the wealthiest men in Northern
Father Terry Southerwood, William's
Tasmania but unfortunately most of his
great grandson who showed me the
life's achievements were lost in the
Hobart Cup that Trusty Blade won in
depression years. Contributing to his loss
1920.
were the tenants in his many properties
The Hobart Archives and Launceston
they could not afford to pay their rents
Library.
and the bank foreclosed on mortgaged
properties. William died a virtual pauper
The word Bait used in the title of
at his home in Ravenswood Road on the
William Southerwood's business - Bus
13th of December 1937 in his 77th year.
and Coach and Bait Stables refers to
He left a son and three daughters, his
horse feed.
wife Rose Ann had predeceased him.
Jane Stark
January 2003
Southerwood's stables in York Street Launceston