McNEIL, Neil, (1857–1927)
Neil McNeil was born in Dingwall in Scotland in 1857. He moved to Victoria with his parents at the age of three and was educated at Ballarat College. He joined his father, also Neil (1827-1915), as a contractor building railways, and then he established his own business. He built railways from Hamley Bridge to Balaklava in South Australia, from Colac to Camperdown and from Lilydale to Healesville in Victoria, and from Fingal to St Mary’s in Tasmania. He then constructed several large works for the Melbourne Water Supply including the Watts River Aqueduct at Healesville.
Although he acquired an interest in the Rockingham Jarrah Timber Company in 1883, he remained resident in Victoria until 1890, when his business interests in WA brought him to the state. Before 1890 he regularly travelled by steamer from Melbourne to Albany, and then overland to Perth, presumably at that time becoming familiar with the countryside along the way, including Mt Barker. McNeil took over the Rockingham Railways and Jarrahdale Forests Company in 1893, and built railways from Bunbury to Pinjarra (1893), and subsequently from Geraldton to Mullewa.The Jarrahdale Forests Company became the Jarrahdale Jarrah Forests and Railways Ltd in 1897. Activities expanded greatly in the next two years: the timber concession was extended for forty years, three hundred men were employed on the mills, and Jarrahdale was described as 'a community of happiness and contentment'. In 1902 the company amalgamated with Millar Brothers to become Millars' Karri and Jarrah Co. Ltd.
He bought a large tract of prime land in Peppermint Grove in the early 1890s, where he constructed his home, "Cliffe", largely out of jarrah. This home has survived, and is now heritage listed.
Architects Forbes and Fitzhardinge gave a copy of the plans of "Cliffe" to the Battye Library and a copy is available on line (http://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa-b4779838-1.) J Talbot Hobbs designed some additions to the house in 1906.
McNeil became a partner of Edward Keane in the construction of the Victoria Reservoir and water supply to Perth, and was a mining entrepreneur in the 1890’s. He was an early visitor to Kalgoorlie in the gold rush, and invested in several mines. He also bought buildings in Perth including Surrey Chambers and the McNeil Buildings, and Phillimore Chambers in Fremantle.
He also was interested in farming. With others he bought a 9,000 acre property in the Blackwood District, and also owned “Mt Barker Estate”, on which he bred horses. He was a member of many racing clubs, and imported one of the first large motor vehicles to Perth.
McNeil passed away on 8th May 1927 at his home in Peppermint Grove. He and his wife Jessie did not have any children.
McNeil had a brother in Perth, Dr Andrew McNeil, who lived in Bay View Terrace, Claremont and was a local GP. Dr Andrew McNeil died suddenly on March 16, 1915 aged only 50. The two brothers had married two sisters: Andrew McNeil married Ellison Grey Lawrie in Gawler, SA, on June 30, 1894; Neil McNeil married Jessie Alexander Lawrie in Ayr (her hometown) in 1890. Both sisters lived long lives Jessie Alexander McNeil died in Tunbridge Wells, UK on September 21, 1955, aged 82, and Ellison Grey McNeil died in 1964 at Merredin aged 96. Jessie Alexander Lawrie was born in Ayr on May 31, 1973, the daughter of Hugh Lawrie and his wife Ellison Lawrie nee Walker.
References:
“RSC Export Timber Branding Bill”, V&P WA 1892 3, A10;
CWA 2, pp 289 93;
Thomas, W C “Outlines of the Timber Industry in WA”, WAHS 1, 1929 v, pp44 5;
COY p101 2;
ADB 5, pp193 4;
Hunt, p7;
LPG p160;
DWAE 4, p1051;
WESS pp 36 9;
HAIEA;
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcneil-neil-4133 accessed 7 March 2020.
