LUCKY LAND BUYER

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1929, Page 9

LUCKY LAND BUYER

A BIT OF MELBOURNE

The purchase of four blocks of land of about half an acre each at a sale in Melbourne on Ist June, 1837, founded the Howey estate. The purchaser was Captain Henry Howey, a retired naval officer, and the price qf the four blocks was £120. Two of them had a frontage to Swanston street from Collins street to Little Collins street and the other two were behind them/ with frontages to Collins and Little Collins streets. Recently portion, of one block* was sold for £250,000.

Captain Henry Howey, who founded the esj.atc, arrived in Sydney in 1827 to tako' up land granted by the British Government. He later selected additional Jand in the Gisborne district iv Victoria, and whilo there made - the visit to Melbourne. Ho, decided to settle in Melbourne, and chartering a small schooner he embarked with his wife and family from Sydney in 1841. The schooner was lost at sea, and Captain Howey and his family were not seen again. Captain John Hpwcy, a momber of the British Army,'' and a brother of Captain Henry Howey, was the heir to the estate; and his grandson, Mr. J. E. P. Howey, recently visited Melbourne to mako certain business arrangements in connection with the proporty. .Thus tho third generation reaps where the first sowed.

Mr. J. E. P. Howey has now made five visits to Melbourne. He had a distinguished war record, having first served with tho Suffolk Yeomanry and Inter with the Dying Corps, attaining the rank of captain. In 101G his aeroplane crashed behind the German lines", and ho was made a prisoner. He escaped through Switzerland after he had spent eighteen months in captivity, and subsequently took charge of a flying school in Ireland. When the war ended ho was serving in Mesopotamia.