MORE INFORMATION ON R.H.D.WHITE from Tales from along the Wallaby Track, No 381
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EARLY SETTLEMENT: Mudgee's Greatest Myth: Who Designed Mudgee?, P.10Kenneth Snodgrass, to authorize the gazettal of Mudgee as a village in the NSW Government Gazette, dated Friday, January 12, 1838.
Whilst all this was taking place, Robert Hoddle was nowhere in sight—he was far too busy in Melbourne.
Fuller details of Robert Hoddle’s life and career may be found in Tales From Along the Wallaby Track of January 17, 24, 31, 1997. As I wrote then, ‘hopefully, a local folk story is now finally put to rest’. Recent paragraphs in ‘Wallaby Track’ columns have brought to light many interesting facts about Mr White. Dick Cox sent me a short biographical memoir of White, who at one time was manager of the Bank of New South Wales in Mudgee and a liberal benefactor to local institutions.
RHD White was born at Stroud, NSW on May 19, 1838. The initials RHD indicate his lineage, Robert Hoddle Dribert White. Robert Hoddle Dribert White was the eldest son of Sarah Elizabeth, the only child of Robert Hoddle and his first wife Mary Staton…
In 1880 White accidentally learnt his grandmother, Mary, first wife of Robert Hoddle, had left him considerable property in Melbourne on her death, which had taken place many years previously. The transaction had been kept a secret for thirteen years. The deed had been lost or destroyed without having been registered, and the lawyer who had drawn it up was in Woggeroo Lunatic Asylum in Queensland.
Mr White commenced legal proceedings against his grandfather, then an old man, who apparently was acting under the advice of his second wife.
After considerable litigation the case was settled by a compromise. Under the agreement White received 50,000 pounds as arrears of rent, and one half of a valuable property in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, worth at the time about 150,000 pounds.
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