James Phelps established his blacksmith’s foundry at Birchip’s five ways in 1890.
Maureen Donnellon, The Buloke Times
He and his wife Bertha came from Tipparra in South Australia to establish a business. He had been an apprentice to Mr Whittaker, a noted blacksmith and inventor of 2- and 3-furrow ploughs, and had made some himself, producing his own model in 1883 and winning many competitions, but had to pay royalties to sell his model in Victoria. He continued to make buggies, wagons, spring carts, and stump jump harrows.
After opening his own Birchip business, he continued to win competitions, one on the site of the present Birchip P-12 School, and he developed new designs of up to six harrows in size.
Birchip’s Centenary half size model plough is modelled on one of his, which was lent by Melbourne Museum to Acklands of Rupanyup to aid in the construction.
Both plough and monument were first unveiled for the Centenary of Birchip in 1982 and it is wonderful to see them back where they belong, this time, together.
The impressive memorial adjacent is a tribute to both Bertha, a noted midwife, and to James, the blacksmith. On the top is the well known poem The Village Blacksmith by W. H. Longfellow. It includes an anvil Jim used and several tools and the inscription “James (Jim) Phelps born November 9, 1859, S.A. Blacksmith and Wheelwright, established Birchip 1890. 75 years at the forge 1950; the stump jump plough that cultivated the Mallee and the man that made the plough.”
The second inscription reads “Mrs James Phelps (Bertha Shilling), born January 24th 1860 Gruenberg SA.
Pioneer bush nurse with the proud record of nursing 1000 mothers without the loss of a mother or a child.” The monument was dedicated by the family to their grandparents.
The memorial was moved to the median strip from its precarious position near the fragile old blacksmith’s shop, with permission given by Mr Ben Bentley, to a more suitable position in the median strip where the wonderful story can be read easily and safely.
The replica plough has been painstakingly restored by the Birchip Men’s Shed, in particular the late Graeme Reid, with Stan Fraser and Harald Bennett, all who used similar full sized machines. Thanks also to the persistence of some Community Forum / Mali Heart Festival members and the Birchip Historical Society for their research and photos to aid the project.
Biggest accolades also to the wonderful work of master stone mason Jim Petrie for restoring and strengthening bases and tools and painting, Mallee Steel for its steel bases, and Councillor Graeme Milne who worked tirelessly to see the project completed in time for Mali Heart Festival. The history of our district can now be seen by all and passed on to new generations.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 29 March 2024.
