Rudall and Rudall Lawyers business manager David Weatherley (left) and local historian Peter Hoye hope a chestbelonging to one of Gawler’s founding fathers will help educate locals on the town’s history. PHOTO: Sam Bradbrook
A CHEST which tells the story of one of Gawler’s founding fathers has been discovered gathering dust in the basement of a local business.
Belonging to Gawler’s first town clerk, John Rudall, the heavy steel chest was found below the Rudall and Rudall Lawyers office on Murray Street.
A unique feature of the chest is a gold emblem on its lid, signifying the chest was built under a royal warrant from the United Kingdom’s royal family.
Royal warrants were handed out to businesses tasked with manufacturing items to be used by the Royal Family, meaning the chest used by Mr Rudall was fit for a king or queen.
Local historian Peter Hoye said there wouldn’t be many items in Australia which carried the emblem.
“When I was asked to look at this box I thought it’s just a little box, what’s the fuss all about,” he said.
“But it’s got one of these (Royal warrant emblem) fixed to it.
“I would say it would be a rarity in Australia, or anywhere outside the United Kingdom, because these warrants aren’t issued to companies outside of England.
“This box brings three unlikely people together as well.”
The box was built by an English tinsmith named Thomas Milner sometime after 1814, with the Royal warrant ordered on Mr Milner’s work placed by the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley.
Mr Hoye said it was likely Mr Rudall used connections in the British aristocracy to obtain one of the chests before setting sail for Bendigo, Victoria, in 1863.
After first trying his hand at gold digging, Mr Rudall moved to Gawler a year later.
He became the first town clerk of Gawler in 1857, the same year he was admitted to practice in the South Australian Supreme Court.
Rudall and Rudall business manager David Weatherly said the law firm was exploring ways to display the chest and promote its importance to Gawler’s history.
“The significance of the box, not only for Rudall and Rudall, but for the town of Gawler, is very high,” he said.
“We want the public, when they come here or wherever the chest goes, to see it and can see a link with the beginning of Gawler.”
