Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 - 1918), Friday 18 June 1915, page 4


THE LATE REV. G. D. LEE

The life's history of the late Rev. G. D. Lee, whose death was announc-

ed in yesterday's "Spectator", is of a most interesting character. He was born in Derbyshire, England, and as a young man, having developed

the literary inclination already re-

ferred to, was engaged as a reporter for the London "Times" in America. Later he returned to England, and afterwards emigrated to Australia by the sailing ship "Bluejacket," arriv-ing in the Commonwealth early in

1853. He went to Ballarat at the period of the gold rush, the magnet which attracted so many of the pio-

neering people from the old land, and for some rime taught in one of the Crown schools in that district. He had to relinquish this occupation on the advice of his medical officer, ow-ing to failing eyesight. He then undertook and conducted successfully a lecturing tour on behalf of the

Son of Temperance friendly society, throughout the western district,

which brought him into acquaintance-ship with a large number of people. particularly that late old gentleman, the late Mr. Thomas Brown. On one occasion the late Mr. Lee drove with a single horse from Melbourne to Adelaide, going across the ninety mile desert, on a lecturing itinerary. In due course he interested himself in Presbyterian missionary work at Mooree. in the Chetwynd district, and eventually entered the Presby-terian ministry. He was appointed to Cavendish, and there he laboured for thirty years, retiring about nine years ago. The rev. gentleman en-dured strenuous pioneering work while at Cavendish, which at that, time included a very large district, and extended in one direction beyond Dunkeld. It was work which necessi-tated long drives over almost im-passable roads, and he often attend-ed three services in distant towns in one day. After his retirement from the ministry he came to reside in Hamilton, where his was a familiar figure. Though he gradually grew frail as the result of old age (being 85 years at the time of death) he was never actually confined to bed, and drove into Ha-milton until quite recently in the carriage so well known. The late Mr. Lee originated the idea of

portable schools in this district, which was to solve the problem of fluctuating populations. This was to overcome the difficulty which fac-ed the department, where the estab-lishment of permanent buildings in specified localities could not be un-dertaken owing to the risk of these probably becoming useless for the purpose intended through retrogres sion in attendance in the course of a few years. Mr. Lee worked hard for the establishment of these portable schools, and his efforts resulted in a number of them being erected in scat-tered localities. The remains were interred in the Hamilton cemetery yesterday afternoon. As previously mentioned Mr. Lee's wife died some time ago. The family left to fnoiim the loss of a father possess ing splendid attributes are Henry, of West Australia , George, engaged in Presbyterian missionary work W. B., employed by Messrs. Young Bros. in Willaura

Alfred, of Dimboola ; the el-dest daughter, Miss Lee, who resi-ded with her father until his death, Mrs. Hugh Moore., of Echuca (widow-

ed) and the youngest daughter, Ber tha, who is married to Mr. James

Pitman.