Personal Sketch of the Life of Mr. George Clout, Sen.

29 January 1924 The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser

Over 60 Years in The District.

Undoubtedly one of the most interesting personalities in the Gundagai and Tumut districts is that fine old Australian bushman, Mr. George Clout, sen., who has commenced a series of articles in this issue on "The Early Settlement of Gundagai and Tumut."

He has been a regular correspondent to this paper for very many years and bas contributed "miles of copy" of public interest and educative value to the Press, and he has also been connected with many of the institutions that tended for the advancement of the district in the early days.

Recently Mr. Clout retired from active farm work and went to live privately at Tumut, and we regret to say that an attack of heart trouble has totally incapacitated him from anything in the way of personal exertion. Mr. Clout was born at Lansdowne Park, Goulburn, in 1845, at the estate of the late William Bradley. His father, who came from the County Kent, England, was over- seer for Bradley for some 20 years. Bradley was then the largest land holder in any part of the colony. His estate at Goulburn embraced nearly the whole of Goulburn Plains, and be had five different stations on Monaro. The father of our sketch came to the colony when the Free Immigration Act was in force in 1838, where nearly the whole of his large family of 12 children were born. His education (such as it was in those days) was received at the Church of England Denominational School at Goulburn. 

His First Job— at 5/- a Week. At 12 years of age he was taken from school and put to work in a a bake-bouse and produce store in Goulburn at the munificent wage of 5/- per week, which was afterwards increased to 6/. The people of the present day find it difficult to understand how an employee doing a big business could offer a strong willing boy such a miserable pittance. After following the business for two or three years he gave it best, and worked with his father in drawing building material in the town of Goulburn and afterwards in carry- ing from Sydney to Goulburn and towns further inland. Settled at Upper Brungle in 1865. In 1863 he came with bis parents to Tumut. Their first location was Regent's Farm, on the river below Pelfield. In 1865 his father selected at Upper Brungle and that selection eventually became the home of the subject of our sketch, which he carried on successfully, and made it famous under the name of 'Rose- mount,' for 56 years. The pro- perty is now in possession of his eldest son. He was married in 1866 to a daughter of Mr. Thomas Hill, who was for many years miller and manager at Body's steam mills, and has a family of five children - two sons and three daughters, four of whom are still living. 

A Leading Light in our Public Life.

During his lengthy occupancy of 'Rosemount' Mr. Clout took part in almost every public movement in and around Tumut.

He was a   member of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association from its very inception and repeatedly occupied the position of President. On several occasions he carried out experimental work on behalf of the Agricultural Department. He was the recipient of numerous diplomas and certificate from exhibitions abroad, notably the Chicago Ex-position, the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, the Centennial Exhlbition in Melbourne, and the Royal Show in Sydney. He was also the winner of national prizes at Cootamundra for the best collection of farm produce, and at Wagga for both wheat and oats.   

He was for several years a member of the Pastures Protection Board of Gundagai; a member of the first Progress Committee that was ever formed in Tumut ; a member of the Chinese League, which was formed in Tumut when the Chinese had be- come a menace to settlement there, and Sir Henry Parkes was being pressed to prevent their ingress. He was the promoter of the first branch of the Farmers and Settlers' Asso- ciation that was ever formed in Tumut and he held the position of president for seven, years consecutively. He was also the representative of both Tumut and Gundagai at the first annual conference of that body, which was held in Wagga. For 20 years he was a member of of the local Board for the, Protection of the Aborigines at Brungle, and for the greater part of, that time was its chairman, For 15 years he held the position of secretary of the Brungle Progress       Association, and was afterwards its chairman. This was the most progressive body that ever existed in this district, and many years ago as a mark of esteem for his valued services Mr. Clout was prevailed on to accept a handsome gold watch and albert from members of the   association. He was one of the         members of the Temporary Council appointed by the Government under Local Government Act, and was twice elected a permanent councillor and three times chosen as its president. He has also repeatedly acted as judge at exhibitions in neighbouring districts.     

Mr. Clout has also been held in the highest esteem throughout, the district, and when he decided to vacate his farm and live privately he was made the recipient of a valuable piece of silver plate from the residents of Brungle on his departure from the village.