The cottage - its humble beginnings

Today it's hard to imagine the circumstances in which this cottage gave birth to its beginnings here in Dunolly. An understanding of the period and its events gives some clues.

It is conceivable that Charles Dicker and his brothers, first read about the beginnings of a gold rush in Victoria, far across the seas, whilst working in the family business back in England. Belonging to a silversmithing and pawnbroking family in London, he and his brothers already had some knowledge of commerce, precious metals and working hard for a living. Possibly they were seeking their fortune like so many of their countrymen, or at least a new life in a promising new land.

Charles landed in Melbourne along with one of his brothers, Thomas, in November 1852 aboard the Marlborough. Francis, another brother arrived a little later. Eventually heading north, he and his brothers settled in Dunolly and set up business in town selling much needed provisions for the thousands of gold miners rushing to one of the wealthiest gold fields in the nation. Their 'Iron Store' in Broadway, the main street, sold corn and hay, and it can be shown that they were trading there at least in 1856, if not much earlier.

In about 1859 or thereabouts Charles Dicker built, with the help of a local builder Mr Clark, the cottage we now know as 'Hunts Folly', presumably to be the new home for his soon-to-be wife, Maria Sheridan from Northern Ireland, whom he married in Brighton, Melbourne in 1861. The builder, Mr Clark, may have been Edmund Clark who added the right wing to James Bell’s Grocery in 1865, now currently 'Wright on Broadway Cafe' in Broadway, the main street.

The cottage originally was a little smaller than what you see today, and may have had a front porch only, we think the extensive verandahs were added in more Victorian times but give the cottage a greater sense of grandeur compared to its more humble beginnings. Remarkably, by today's experiences, Charles and Maria raised five children in the cottage while Charles gained local respect in many roles within the community. As happened so often then, one of his daughters died in infancy and is buried in Dunolly cemetery along with her father.

The town’s population fluctuated greatly over the years, with rushes taking hoards of inhabitants to new sites leaving the town to wax and wane in its prosperity. The Dunolly streetscape was described by James Flett (“Dunolly – Story of an Old Gold Diggings”, Second Edition, 1974), as having many stores in 1861, including Dickers. In his book about Dunolly, Flett, notable Dunolly born artist and author, relates of building going on, presumably in 1865 and same year as Footers Mansion;
 “Another was Dicker’s brick cottage between Tweedale Street and Elgin Street. It was built by Mr Clark. This is the cottage with the slate roof lately occupied by Mr Heenan, and where W.H.F. Couchman, the Dunolly mining surveyor and registrar lived.”

The cottage was Dicker’s residence until at least 1886, the year of his death, and possibly home to his daughter Minnie until maybe 1889. Charles is buried in the Dunolly cemetery.

The building was added to some time after with the north wing, with its typical store-front parapet (now the sitting room and bathroom), to become the Gold Surveyor’s Office for William Henry Fancourt Couchman, with a separate entry from Lawrence Street.

Charles Dicker was many things to the town and during his life at the cottage, was known well in the community as a prominent store keeper and civil servant, serving as Coroner, Magistrate, J.P., businessman and Town Clerk of the Municipality 1860-1863, and from 1878 possibly until his death in 1886. He was also secretary to the Trustees of the Cemetery and agent for Victoria Fire and Marine Insurance Company.

Charles also produced, or commissioned to have produced, a photographic record of Dunolly in 1860; this is represented in the State Library of Victoria by 22 of his surviving works in the collection, “Ambrotypes of Dunolly Buildings, circa 1860”. They were most probably created for the Victoria Exhibition of 1861 in Melbourne. Unfortunately, Charles seems to have not recorded his own residence in Elgin Street for the collection. What a shame! Two of the 22 ambrotypes appear below.

x Premises of James Bell, flour, oats and bran retailer 1861. xxxxxxxxxxx The Post Office and telegraph Station 1861 xxx\x
© State Library of Victoria

A recent visitor to the cottage was soaking up family nostalgia by revisiting Dickers original cottage, and commented on the good friendship that the notable James Bell (above photo) and Charles Dicker had so many years ago; possibly they were two like-minded entrepreneurs.

The cottage has been host to a number of families after the Dickers and Couchmans, the land adjoining the cottage used for many purposes. The cottage's restoration took place in the new millennium, a fitting turnaround for a home that help breath life into numerous families; it was in a sad condition when given a much needed rescue. The vineyard suggests new beginnings as well and maybe a fitting rebirth of the grounds surrounding the friendly cottage.

We hope you thoroughly enjoy it in its new life, and come back as others do, to enjoy it many times.