Greetings from the "Coral Sea Coast" (Lat 17.5s Long 146.4e) Hi to all, I seek information on the endeavours leading to the establishment of the woollens mill in Castlemaine in 1875. My maternal grand uncle, Thomas MARTIN, is thought to have played some part, although he is not recorded as shareholder or listed in relevant Directories of the time. His son, James Mason Martin, who became a noted historian of Castlemaine's early days, wrote in 1947 in his book 'Major Mitchell and Castlemaine': "No other town of our size can boast such a financial backbone as is provided by our two principle industries - Thompson's Engineering Works and the Woollen Mill. These works provided employment for approximately 1200 citizens, and must be a tremendous help in the financial structure of the town. Production from both industries has gone practically all over the world, and to the Thompson brother, who founded the engineering works, and to my father and his colleagues, who founded the woollen mill almost 70 years ago (1875), we citizens owe an immense debt". Can any kind body shed any light on this issue, or on a boarding house named 'Granite Lodge' in Wimble Street in the 1890's or thereabouts. And may that which you seek be found Dean Newman, North Queensland Australia. "As time goes by" kenyon@znet.net.au "Old Deans never die - they just lose their faculties"