BELL, John Calvert (1861-1937)
Modified on Sun, 23 Sep 2018 13:33 by Con — Categorized as: Biography - All, Biography - Students, Geelong College
BELL, John Calvert (1861-1937)
John Calvert Bell, the elder son of James Calvert Bell and Mary Stewart nee Singer, was born at 'The Leigh' on 15 December 1861. His parents had both migrated from Scotland. He attended Scotch College Melbourne from 1871 to 1872, before his enrolment at Geelong College on 12 February 1873. At the time of his enrolment his entry address was 'Woolbrook', Teasdale.
John Calvert Bell married Frances Ellen nee Wilson ( -1901) on 6 January 1895 and the family moved to 'Calder Park', Mt Duneed. He was a captain of the Mt Duneed Rifle Club, a Winchelsea Shire Councillor from 1889, and a Barabool Shire Councillor from 1897. He was a trustee of the Mt Duneed Cemetery.
In later life after he purchased a grazing property in 1905 near Bells Beach, Torquay, Victoria, he lived at 'Addiscott'. The house now known as 'Addiscott' was built here in about 1912.
After his first wife's death, John Bell married Irene Wilson ( -1952), sister of his first wife, seven year's later on 3 March 1908.
The name 'Addiscott' derives from Edward Brown Addis who was, in the early years of settlement, Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Port Philip District and surveyed the land in this area. He is believed to have built a small cottage which he named 'Addiscott' near or on the location of John Calvert Bell's later property. Nearby Point Addis is also named after Edward Brown Addis.
It is unclear whether Bell's Beach gained its name from John Calvert Bell's family or the original occupant of the land, William Bell.
Pegasus
in December 1937 noted John Calvert Bell's death:
'John Calvert Bell, who left College in 1873, passed away on July 26 at his home at Addiscott.'
He was interred at the Geelong Eastern Cemetery.
John's brother,
Alexander Singer Bell (1863-1936)
, was also educated at Geelong College.
Sources: Pegasus December 1937 p63.