Edmund Smith (1833-1909)1Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182554006/edmund-smith Accessed 19 November 2023. was a butcher in Araluen for 64 years, and a much respected and highly esteemed resident of Crown Flat and Redbank.
In January 1864 the Araluen Star2Araluen Star and Miners’ Right (NSW : 1863-1864), Saturday 16 January 1864, p 2. records ‘slaughtering licenses were granted to Henry Crossley, James Perry, Edmund Smith, and John Smithhard‘.
Historical maps3Historical Maps NSW Land Registry Service, Parish and Historical Maps. Historical Land Records Viewer, https://www.nswlrs.com.au/Parish-and-Historical-Maps Accessed 10 November 2023. indicates Land Portions purchased by Edmund Smith and by Andrew Keys, were as set out in the table below.
| Portion | Name | Plan | Loc | Vol | Fol |
| 223 | Edmund Smith | 577 | Diag A | 62 | 102 |
| 225 | Edmund Smith | 577 | Diag A | 62 | 103 |
| 243 | Edmund Smith | 576 | Diag A | 58 | 125 |
| 355 | Edmund Smith | 669 | Diag A | 62 | 104 |
| 356 | Edmund Smith | 669 | Diag A | 62 | 105 |
| 472 | Edmund Smith | 426 | Diag A | 252 | 163 |
| 594 | Andrew Keys | 3487 | Diag A |
Richard Kennedy (1848-1923), JP of Reidsdale although only very young when Araluen was in the zenith, possessed a wonderful memory, and had many anecdotes of the roaring days of the field, which he shared under the non de plume of Old Hand, through a series of articles written in 1907 for the Braidwood Dispatch, dealing with the early history of Araluen. He writes4Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Wednesday 18 September 1907, p 2. ‘There is one man I had almost forgotten to mention who came to Araluen about ’54, and that is your much respected and highly esteemed resident, Mr. Edmund Smith, who when he arrived went into the butchering business with Joe Chiven, and l am pleased to know he is still in the Valley carrying on the same old business, and my wish is long may he live, for a straighter goer never lived.’
Kennedy5Bega Budget (NSW: 1905-1920), Saturday 30 November 1907, p 4. adds ‘This would be about early in the year of ’59. Edmund Smith and Harry Crossley had a butchers shop on this rush, and were doing a roaring trade. It is a pleasure to me to know that my old friend Edmund is still in the Valley and conducting the same old business, but now at Redbank, and I am sure there is no one in the Valley more highly esteemed and respected this day than Edmund Smith.’
Edmund Smith would send a huge two-horse van, capable of holding at least three bullock carcases, every week to Braidwood, Jembaicumbene and Major’s Creek, laden with primest of beef and small goods.6Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW: 1914-1954), Tuesday 23 April 1940, p 3. In 1925 the Goulburn Evening Post 7Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW: 1881-1940), Thursday 16 July 1925, p 1. reported on a Butcher Shop on Wheels for Grenfell, noting ‘The Moruya Examiner reports that nearly half a century ago Moruya had a similar convenience, but it was of course, a horse-drawn vehicle. The late Edmund Smith, the butcher of those days travelled from Araluen to Moruya with a pair of horses and a large van fitted as a shop and containing the primest of beef and small goods.’
Edmund Smith- butcher is noted in the 1875–76 Greville’s Official Post Office Directory8Greville’s Official Post Office Directory for 1875–1876 https://www.ihr.com.au/secure/html/greville75.html. Accessed 18 February 2023. p 19. (p 19) in Araluen.
In 1876, Edmund’s marriage, as a bachelor aged 43, to Sarah Larcombe (a widow aged 40) was advertised in the Sydney Morning Herald9Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954), Friday 15 December 1876, p 1. ‘SMITH — LARCOMBE. —September 27, at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton, Somerset, England, by the Rev. A. S. Althan, Edmund Smith, of Araluen, to Sarah Larcombe, of Battins, Somerset, England.’
Sarah King (1836-1900) married Richard Larcombe in 1854 and they had two children; Edwin Larcombe (1854-1895) and Walter Willie Larcombe (1856-1910). Richard (22), Sarah (22), Edwin (3) and Walter (8 months) arrived in Australia as assisted immigrants on the ship Tartar in 1857.
Andrew Keys, an employee of Edmund’s business, married Sarah Ann Larcombe (1877-1927) in 1895 in Braidwood. Sarah Ann was the daughter of Walter Willie Larcombe (1856-1910) and Elizabeth Rebecca Atkins (1856-1936), and Edmund Smith’s step-granddaughter.
In October 1909 the Sydney Morning Herald10Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Friday 8 October 1909, p 4. 11NSW Birth Death Marriages, 12565/1909 familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au Accessed 23 October 2023. published the following notice ‘ARALUEN, Thursday. Mr. Edmund Smith, who has been in the butchering business here for the past 64 years, died this morning.’