Mr. Robert Dear Died

The Gundagai Independent and Pastoral, Agricultural & Mining Advocate

19 January 1922

Mr. Robt. Dear, of Tumut, died on Saturday, at the advanced age of 84 years, death being due to senile decay. Deceased arrived in. Queensland from England, when quite a young man & about 60 years ago he went to Tumut, being engaged with the firm of Turnbull and Watson who conducted the Beehive Hotel. It was while there that he married Miss Gilling, second daughter of the late Phillip Gilling, proprietor of the Moanisle Hotel (now the Star Hotel), and subsequently on the death of his wife's parents he took over the management of that house.

Later they went into the Killarney Hotel where they remained for a few years and then the late Mr. Dear started an aerated waters & cordial factory in Tumut.

At the time of the subdivision of the late Henry Hilton's estate he purchased a block on which he built a home in which he lived till the end of his days. Mrs. Dear died after a residence there of some years, there being one son to the union, Mr. Robt. Dear, of Cootamundra.

Some time afterwards the late Mr Dear remarried, the bride being Miss Ellen   Kenneally, of Lacmalac, there being two sons (John, Tumut, and  Harry, Argalong), and one daughter (Ellen), who, with a sorrowing wife, survive their father.

The late Mr. Dear occupied at one time or another the most prominent positions in Tumut, viz., Mayor, alderman for many years, president of the Literary Institute & A. and P. Association, Wor. Master of the Freemasons, etc. He was a diligent worker of all public functions, and up to a few years ago did his share in connections with a number of social functions.