The mystery of the ‘Baylis’ gold pocket watch is one step closer to a conclusion after a Wagga historian weighed in on the discussion.
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Believed to be a token of the historic Baylis family of Wagga, the precious heirloom was purchased accidentally by Griffith resident Robin Brown.
Mr Brown was originally under the impression that he was buying a drawer full of bone-handled cutlery at auction in Darlington Point. However, upon rummaging through the drawer, he found the watch.
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During repair and restoration, he found inside the polished casing the engraved name of ‘Baylis’.
Looking into the history of the name, the 58-year-old speculated that the watch may have been the possession of Henry Baylis – Wagga’s first magistrate during the time before the city was formally gazetted.
But Tolland resident and author Stewart Beattie believes otherwise.
“Henry Baylis was never over the Darlington Point way, but his son – James John – was a magistrate in Narrandera,” the 77-year-old historian said.
“He lived about four miles west of Narrandera at a property called ‘Goonahra’ and as a licensed surveyor, he travelled all over the Murrumbidgee area.”
The property stood on what is now Darlington Point Road and he moved there in about 1881. Later, in 1887 James Baylis followed his father’s lead, becoming a magistrate himself.
But the house where the watch was found by Mr Brown, was not the home of James Baylis.
The question of how the watch came to reside, broken and forgotten inside its kitchen draw remains and once again, Mr Beattie provides an educated assessment.
“It doesn’t surprise me that it was there,” he said.
“Being a surveyor, he would have worn it. Even when he was surveying land, he’d have worn a waistcoat and it’s possible the [watch] chain broke while he was out.
“Someone may have found it, broken and in disrepair, or he may have given it to someone.”
Known to be an influential and civically involved gentleman, James Baylis spent much of his time on the road.
“He was such an interesting character, he learnt toe Wiradjuri language and was considered something of an expert in it,” said Mr Beattie.
So well respected, Mr Beattie says, that upon his departure from Narrandera, he was given 100 pounds of gold sovereigns, and his wife given a grand piano.
A short-horn cattle breeder in his spare time, James Baylis was known to bring his livestock to shows as far away as Wagga.
“Highly unusual for that time period, it was very rare for someone to travel that far with their cattle.”