Location 136
Location #136. Menzies Dam.
Map 1
Address
Stewart Town, Menzies Terrace.

Area


Description

Location #136. Menzies Dam.


Still Standing

Yes



Construction Details


Location Type

Dam


View Location on Map

Image Not Found
Interested Parties

The table below shows the groups of people that had an interest in this property, either as owners, residents, tenants or shareholders. Clicking on the 'Details' link will display a list of the individuals in the group along with any known historical information about them.

Group Date Description
1 c1876 - 1894 David Stewart and John Downie Menzies Details
2 1894 - 1904 David Ure McGregor Details
3 1894 - 1904 Archibald McGregor Details
4 1904 - 1908 John Courtney Lynn Details
5 1908 - 1926 Mrs Mary Ann Lynn Details
6 1912 - 1926 William Lynn Details
7 1919 - c1920 James Ray, John Halliday and 2 others Details
8 1926 - c1932 F Sutherland Details
9 c1932 - c1935 A Manson Details
10 1935 - 1956 Mrs M E Gordon Details
11 1956 - 1979 A J Beaton Details
12 1979 - A D Beaton Details
13 ? - 2000 B MacAlister Details
Notes

The table below shows any historical notes about the location.

Note Date Short Description Note Text
1994 1868 Construction begins on a water race. In Feb 1868 Stewart and Menzies began constructing a water race from Long Gully around to the lower end of Pipeclay Terrace. This was later continued on to Slaughteryard Hill.
1996 c1876 Construction begins on Menzies Dam David Stewart and John D Menzies may have moved to Stewarton, later known as Stewart Town, where they were mining. David Stewart was a stone mason by trade and built his home (see dwelling #140). Stewart and Menzies, both bachelors lived in dwelling #140. They decided to construct a large supply dam and sell the water to the miners. The water rights were secured from Long Gully, target Gully and Pipeclay Gully. The water race from Long Gully proved very troublesome and was often washed out. The Long Gully area was notorious for violent thunderstorms. The water race from Long Gully carried 4 heads of water to Menzies Dam. 1 head of water = 1 cu ft / sec or 371 gal / min. So, the approximate inflow into Menzies Dame from Long Gully = 1,484 gal / min If the Pipeclay race was added (say 2 heads) the total possible inflow to Menzies Dam may have been 2,200 gal / min
1997 Disputes over water rights. As a water race proprietor David Stewart was occasionally involved in disputes over water. In a court case, Stewart vs three Chinese miners over water rights, the Chinese referred to Stewart as 'Tooat Divvy'
1999 1883 John Menzies continued to operate Menzies Dam after the death of David Stewart. Mr John Menzies continued to live in dwelling #140 and to operate the dame and water races until his untimely death in 1894.
2001 1894 Mr D U McGregor purchased Menzies Dam. Mr David Ure McGregor purchased the property from Mr Menzies estate.
2004 c1903 Archie McGregor operated the dam after the death of his brother David. After the death of his brother, it appears that Archie McGregor operated Menzies Dam for some time. In the summer he would walk up to Stewart Town and turn on the water from the dam. The water would be available for the miners for three hours daily.
2006 1904 Mr John Lynn purchased Menzies Dam from Mr McGregor. Mr John Lynn purchased the property from Mr McGregor (Archie). He lived on Terrace Road, but had been mining in the Stewart Town area over a number of years. The Lynn family moved to Stewart Town and John Lynn planted a small orchard which was irrigated from the dam. Mining in the area was in decline and there was little sale for the water.
2009 1912 William Lynn took over the lease on Menzies Dam. On 8 May 1912, William Lynn took over the lease of Stewart Town. William went away to WW1 and Mrs Lynn ran the orchard. The water races were used for irrigating the Lynn's orchard but it was unlikely that the dam itself was used to store water.
2012 1923 The water rights were sold to the Bannockburn Irrigation Supply Company. In November 1923 the water rights were sold to the Bannockburn Irrigation Supply Company. Menzies Dam was never used again to hold water and there was no water available in the Long Gully race.
2011 1919 The water rights and Menzies Dam were leased to a mining company. The water rights and Menzies Dam were leased to a mining company formed by Mr James Ray, John Halliday and two others.
Images

The table below shows a list of images related to the location. Click on 'View Image' to display more details about the image, and to view the image.

Image Id Source Date Short Description
1896 Mr Gordon Stewart - Bannockburn c1890 Sluicing on Templars' Hill View Image
2380 Paul Crump - Bannockburn 2016 Aerial photo of Menzies Terrace - taken by Kevin Jones c2001 View Image