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Rediscovering Ginninderra:
Edward 'Joe' Burgoyne

Born: 1877; Died: 1946; Married: Mary Doyle

Edward 'Joe' Burgoyne

Edward Thomas Joseph Burgoyne (known as 'Joe') was born in Tasmania in 1877. He and his brother William became dairy farmers in Casino in northeast NSW. He married Sydney woman, Mary Doyle (known as 'Jenny') in 1909. The couple adopted two children, one of whom was Monty Tracey, who went on to become a well-known Canberra equestrian and horse trainer.

In 1911, the Burgoynes decided to try their luck in Ginninderra. Things began well. In 1915 he was a member of the Ginninderra Farmer's Union. In the same year he purchased the lease of 'Deasland', but only remained there for about 12 months before the Edmonds family took it over. In 1917 Burgoyne purchased a 13,000-acre leasehold portion of the Rolfe's Gold Creek property including the homestead. Around this time, he also earned some success in breeding racehorses.

It appears that Joe and Jenny became estranged. Jenny had kept her own house in Lewisham, Sydney, so she went back there to live and nursed Joe's bed-bound brother, William. Joe kept farming at Gold Creek. He was reported as being a gambler and overly enthusiastic at the racing track. He soon found himself heavily in debt and it was not long before he sold up at Gold Creek. In his later years Burgoyne rented a flat in Civic and worked as a security guard. He died in 1946.

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