Charles Norman, third son of George and Rebecca (née Greenwood) Morrison was born on 4 December 1866 at Knole House, the old Geelong College house in Skene Street. His home had been at Geelong College for most of his life. His father was the founder and owner of the college. Norman became vice-principal in 1891 and gradually took over from his father who died in 1898. In 1908 the Presbyterian Church took over the running of the college. When he purchased his farm in 1909 at Moriac he named it The Ardoch after his grandfather's Ardoch Farm in the parish of Edenkillie, near Forres, Morayshire in Scotland. He became active in the Moriac area, joining the Paraparap and Pettavel Progress Association and helping to start the new schools in the area. On Friday 12 November 1909 he travelled by train to his farm to do some rabbit hunting before dark. According to various newspaper advertisements for the property it was anything from half a mile to 2 miles from the station. He intended to stay overnight and return to Geelong on the Saturday morning. In the morning his body was found beside a wire fence 300 yards from the cottage. Evidently he had been going through the fence when he tripped and the shotgun exploded. Morrison left real estate of £6354 and personal estate of £9587 to his mother. She died in March 1932 at the age of 94. The Ardoch was advertised for sale or lease a number of times and was run by Robert Purnell for a number of years. In November 1921 when the lease to A E Kinnersley was due to expire on 1 March the following year, the property was advertised for sale for the last time. Morrison owned parts of the allotments marked above being 420 acres 2 roods 6 perches straddling Raven Creek and north of Thompsons Creek with a three room weatherboard cottage, weatherboard stabling for 6 horses, machinery shed, man's room, chaff room and cart shed, between Hunts and Hendy Main Roads. This property was named "The Ardoch". He also owned several properties in Newtown. |
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