One of the fine old pioneers, Mr William Eli Manks, passed peacefully away at his residence Foster street, Dandenong, on Monday, July 19. The old gentleman had reached the honorable age of 82 years, had fought with difficulties, and led a strenuous life. The deceased gentleman first saw the light in the town
of Solihull, Birmingham, in 1833, and being enticed to the prospects of Australia with its goldfields of 1857, he came right away to Victoria in the good ship Kent (recognised a fine vessel in the old shipping days, alongside the Port Melbourne Pier).
The deceased gentlemen was of a lively disposition with any amount of energy, and did a considerable amount of prospecting in the early gold digging days. He had a look in at the Gippsland fields and afterwards New Zealand, where he did well. Being satisfied with his prospects in the great Australian Continent, he returned to his native village, eight years after and married his espoused, Miss Annie Shephard, and the happy couple came to Victoria in 1865 in the "Chariot of Fame." The deceased gentleman was an ideal colonist, and the work he put in as an agriculturist was to be conjured with. He was one of the old honest pioneers of the good old English breed that were not afraid of work and building up Empires.
He leaves a widow, five sons, and one daughter, Mrs Costello, wife of Mr Costello, stationmaster, Stony Creek, to mourn their loss. All the Manks family are of the' good old "Bulldog breed." All honor to the "grand old man,'" and he rests in the Dandenong Cemetery with honors upon him like our brave soldiers who have found a lonely grave at Gallipoli. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon, the last resting place being the Church of England portion of the Dandenong Cemetery. The Rev. Veal officiated at the grave, and Mrs Garnar had charge of the mortuary arrangements.