DEATH OF RICHARD CRAVEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10968, 24 January 1899, Page 6

DEATH OF RICHARD CRAVEN

A MINING MILLIONAIRE.

HIS FIGHT FOR FORTUNE. There passed away at Waverley, New South Wales, on January 17. one of the richest men in Australia, in the person of Richard Craven, mineowner and speculator. Mr. Craven, who was by no means an old man, being in his 53rd year, succumbed to an attack of dropsy after a long and trying illness. For weeks past the end has been inevitable, and the dying man faced it calmlv, content to go, and glad in the knowledge" that his life's labours had to a great extent assured the future of those whom he left behind. To his friends— they were many— death came as a shock, scarcely diminished by the prior knowledge that his days were numbered. He died in the magnificent mansion which he erected some 10 years ago at Waverley, and which is known is " Preston," and where he had resided almost uninterruptedly for the greater part -of that time. He loaves a widow and 10 children, the eldest being a son of 23 years of age. Richard Craven's story is that of most of the millionaires of new lands. He made his fortune by dint of hard work, courage, puseverauce, and a rugged determination to succeed in whatever he undertook. He was a native of Preston (England), and arrived in Australia tarly in the sixties. He soon made his way northwards, encouraged by the railway building then in piugress. and, being an expert, engineer and fittqr, ho fiad no difficulty in obtaining employment with a firm of railway contractors. This was his first real start in life, and he made the most of it, accumulating sufficient money to enable him to enter upon mining pursuits on a small scale. Following upon the discovery of the Charters Towers fields by Hugh Mosman comes Craven's share in the future prosperity of the district. The field was sinking rapidly in the estimation of the public and mining speculators when he set to work, satisfied that there was still a marvellous wealth of gold undiscovered there. Selecting a spot ignored by others, he set to work and sink a shaft, carrying it to lower depths than had yet been tried, and the reward of his perseverance, his determination to prove the correctness of his theory, was the discovery of the Great Brilliant reef, the backbone at the present time of the Charters Towers fields. His natural keen business instincts prompted him to retain a large interest in the original claim, and at the time of his death lie was a large holder of all Brilliant stock. In addition to developing the mines in the district, he erected the Great Enterprise mill, a successful venture, since ilia mill properly forms one of the largest of his many valuable assets. After years of hard work, in which his sound practical knowledge of engineering proved invaluable lo him, he concluded that he had amassed sufficient wealth to retire, and as he had taken a liking to Sydney, he determined to settle there. He purchased an estate at Waverley, and there had erected his late residence, which he called after his native town, " Preston.'' He was always a lover of horses, and when his heavy work had ended, he made the breeding and keeping of thoroughbred stock a hobby. He was the owner of many fine racehorses, and had several country establishments, which he occasionally visited. The Clarendon Estate, near Windsor, one of the best known of country estates, was where ho kept his racing stock, while in l'restonville, adjoining tire Hobartville Estate, lie had a splendid agricultural farm. As an owner of racehorses he was not highly successful, but he was ever generous to those who were concerned in the management of his stork, and found sound' pleasure in following the king of sports as a spurt. Mr. Craven was certainly one of the most liberal patrons the turf had. For upwards of a quarter of a century he figured as a horseowner, and while in Queensland he raced California, Orestes, Refused, Chance, Slyboots, and several others, but he was not by any means: a successful owner. The sporting instinct was always in him, and lie was one of the founders of the Charters Towers Jockey Club, of which, up to the time of his death, he was one of the trustees. For the I past seven yca.-s Mr. Craven has resided in Sydney, and during that time maintained a string of racehorses, first at Surrey Hills, under the management of J. Ristenpart. who died a few weeks ago at Melbourne, and latterly the preparation of his horses was entrusted to MY. Paytcn, who occupied Mr. Craven's private training quarters at Richmond. Royal Rose, Courage, Balance, Woodlark (third in the Derby to Cocos), Oauleon, Flaneurist, and Oceanic are some of the horses which carried the yellow and black livery of Mr. Craven, hut not with success in proportion to the outlay, and his turf disappointments were so regular that it was rather surprising he should have pursued the sport for such a length of time. He was an unflinching bidder in the sale ring, and not easily stopped as a hacker of horses, so that his losses on the turf must have been very considerable. Less than two years ago Mr. Craven, purchased a private training establishment at Clarendon, which he added very largely to, and which his trainer still occupies. The deceased was a thorough sportsman, a staunch friend, and had the reputation of being very charitable.