Remembering John Miles

Welcome to the Darlington Cemetery.  It is where you will find the oldest Redgum Timber grave marker in Victoria.

Not much is known about John Miles.  He could’ve just been passing through Darlington, or worked on one of large stations in the area, or making his way up to the Pyrenees where people were starting to find gold...who knows, its anyone's guess!!!

WELL...this cache was published early 2017, and since then (late 2017) some more information has came to light.

John was born in Kent, England in 1811 and married Jane Redman in 1832. The arrived in Melbourne in 1842 with their only son Frederick aged seven.

In 1847 John and his family moved to Darlington and became the licensee of the Clyde Inn near the old bridge. Within 12 months he was appointed as the first postmaster for the area.

Early in 1849, aged 39 after a long illness, he died and was buried in the corner of a paddock, which ended up becoming the Darlington Cemetery. The local blacksmith cut a tombstone from a river red gum. Originally the tombstone faced outwards looking towards the hotel, but at some stage it was turned inwards.

John’s wife went onto to marry again, and moved to Melbourne.

The Emigrants Grave
Beneath the bright blue of the Southern sky
Where the ashes of none of his kindred lie
But gaudy exotics luxuriant wave
Unheeded he lies in his lonely grave

It is today thought to be the only red gum tombstone in Australia, and over the last 150 years has been lovingly maintained by local residents.