I have been told: William Pollard came to Anguston and established a vineyard and winery. In South Australia he found religion and eventually became a Methodist minister. Family lore has it that he was disgruntled with the wine drinking he witnessed among the Germans of South Australia so he put an axe through his store of wine barrells and then took himself to Tasmania. (Actually via a period in Penshurst Victoria, where he probably studied for the Methodist ministry. TBC.)
The correspondent of the Mercury newspaper reported in May 1901: "The new Methodist missionary (Mr. Pollard) has arrived, and as he is a married man, steps are being taken to collect funds to build a parsonage. We have hitherto been supplied by the Conference with single men, who were not furnished with residences.
May 6." LILYDALE. (1901, May 9). The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved December 13, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12839271
So we owe to that populous family the sturdy Methodist Manse next door to the 130 year old Methodist church. William Henry’s name is on the minister honour board in the Uniting Church at Lilydale. Strangely, in his death notice, less than ten years later, (Sudden death, 6 Oct 1910, see below), no mention is made of time spent in Lilydale but concentrates on his service in northwest Tasmania.
Genealogist Suzanne Griffin at first identified twelve children of W. H. Pollard and Mary Ann Carmichael who married 7 Feb 1877 in the Lutheran Parsonage in Rosenthal SA. From 1877 to 1899, they totalled fourteen offspring, the first two at Kersbrook, SA, the next seven in Anguston SA, the next three at Penshurst, Victoria, and the last two in northwest Tasmania.
SUDDEN DEATH OF REV. W. H. POLLARD (1910).
A painfully sudden death took place in Burnie yesterday morning, when the Rev. W. H. Pollard, a retired Methodist minister, collapsed and died on the verandah of his residence in Queen street. The late William Henry Pollard was born in South Australia in 1846, and was consquently 64 years of age when he died.
He first came to Burnie from Penshurst, Victoria, about 15 years ago to take charge of the local Methodist Church. He was subsequently stationed at Wynyard and Waratah.
About six years ago his health broke down, and he had to give up the Ministry. He then went to Victoria, where he resided for about five years, returning to Burnie about six months ago. His health was still bad and he never rallied.
Yesterday morning, being fine, Mr. Pollard went out on the front verandah to read the paper, and about 9.30, he was seen by Mrs. Cocks, wife of Rev. A. R. Cocks. She thought he looked very pale, and she went on to the verandah and found Mr. Pollard sitting in his chair, with the paper in his hands, quite dead.
Drs. Watson and Harricks were summoned, and on arrival announced life extinct, the cause of death bring heart failure.
The deceased leaves a widow and family of seven sons and two daughters. Two sons are in Waratah, two in Westralia, and one at Lilydale. The remaining members of the family live with their mother at Burnie. The funeral will take place on Friday at the Wivenhoe cemetery.
SUDDEN DEATH OF REV. W. H. POLLARD. (1910, October 6). The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919), p. 2. Retrieved August 15, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64523837
This article of 1950 indicates Mr W. H. Pollard was only at Lilydale from 1901 to 1903. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52784956