Boho Creamery

The Boho Creamery was officially 0pened in November 1895 on Creamery Lane in Boho. It was named after Lady Brassey, wife of the new Governor of Victoria, Mr Thomas Brassey (1836-1918).  A notice appeared in the local newspaper.

The creamery was supplied by several local families including my ancestors Albert “John” Jackson and George Davis.

John’s daughter Ella Davis, told me that she was up at 5.00am milking cows before school from the age of five years old with her siblings, and the neighbouring children had similar farm chores to do before they walked to school. The Jackson family lived at “Brookeville” property in Boho.

Ella’s mother Kate Jackson helped her husband milk the house cows and deliver milk and cream to the Boho Creamery in a horse and cart.

The condition of the roads was deplorable, as was often reported in the local papers.

In June 1910, Kate appears in the local Benalla paper after her two year old child Horace had a miraculous escape from danger. Her husband Albert (known by his second name as John) was managed of the Baddaginnie Creamery at the time.

The gig’s harness broke and the cart was suddenly upended throwing Kate and her son Horace out. Luckily they escaped serious harm.

Albert “John” was raised in Baddaginnie by the Wentworth family (his maternal aunt) after his mother died. He was worked at the Baddaginnie Butter Factory for almost 10 years and was appointed Creamery Manager in Baddaginnie in 1902.

He obtained his factory engine-drivers license in May 1909. When he left Baddaginnie to work at the Boho Creamery he was given the following reference stating he had been Creamery Manager  at Baddaginnie for the last eight years.

 

The Baddaginnie Butter, Cheese and Ice Factory Co Ltd bought the Boho Creamery for 260 pounds in February 1896. (The Australasian 29 Feb 1896).

The Creamery ran for a number of years, and in 1898 that 30, 517 gallons of milk was treated at the Baddaginnie and Boho Creameries in the month of January.

In 1900, the directors of the Boho Creamery, also known as the “Boho Stinkpot” according to a local paper (Euroa Advertiser 26 Jan 1900)  report in January that year were Messrs Kelly, Croxford and Burns. A remedy was adapted to divert the waste products to a sewer to resolve the problem.

The locals, including Mr James Byrne, were constantly writing to the Shire of Violet Town, asking for repairs to the road leading to the creamery.

Nearby the Warrenbayne Butter factory was also operating, and in 1903 was amalgamated with the Baddaginnie Butter Factory. Managers seem to change fairly frequently, as there are a number of advertisements in the local papers for new positions. In July 1906 Mr John Lane was appointed manager.

The creamery was the site of a terrible accident in July 1906 when Councillor John Croxford was taking a load of chaff to Boho. His body was found lifeless on the road near the creamery, and it is was thought he had been jolted from his cart.

The Dr later found he had a fractured skull, and his neck and back were broken. (Euroa Advertiser 20 Jul 1906).

By 1914 with the outbreak of World War One, and most of the workers sent off to fight, the need for the creamery declined, and in on 16 January that year the Baddaginnie Butter Factory sold the Boho Creamery including all the plant building and land.

 

The site of the Creamery is marked by signs today and can be found on Creamery Lane, Boho.