Eli King was born ca 1827 and baptised 28 October 1827 at Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire, England, the son of Charles King, labourer and Charlotte (nee Robinson). He said that when he was ten years old, he went to work for a neighbouring farmer from 6 am to 6 pm and earnt 3d per day. The 1841 Census for Yardley Hastings records he was age 12 [sic] living with his parents and siblings, his father an Ag Lab (agricultural labourer). Seven years later, Eli King with others including two of his brothers were convicted at Northampton Court on 29 February 1848 for night-time poaching and going armed. They were each sentenced to twelve months gaol.
On 11 November 1849, Eli King married Druscilla Carter, daughter of John Carter, labourer, and Mary (nee Smith) at the Parish Church of Yardley Hastings. Both were able to sign the register indicating a level of literacy. Druscilla was born in September 1826 and baptised 1 August 1827 at Yardley Hastings.
In 1851, Eli still living at Yardley Hastings, was recorded as age 23, Ag Lab with his wife Druscilla, lace maker age 23, and children Eli John age 2, and Mary Ann age 10 months. On 27 August 1851 they left for South Australia on the ship Hydaspes and arrived on 27 November at Port Adelaide. His infant daughter Mary Ann died at sea and his three-year-old son died in December shortly after arrival.
He initially took on labouring positions at Woodside; went to the Eaglehawk Gully (Victorian) goldfields the following year ‘returning 11 months later with £90’; and he worked for Mr Justice [Edward Castres] Gwynne at his Inman Valley property. He later said:
… the wages in those days being 10s. per week, with rations, consisting of 10 lb. of flour, 10 lb. of meat, 2 lb. sugar, 1-3 lb. tea. [Chronicle, 19 Nov 1898, p19]
King then settled for fourteen years on two sections of land at Encounter Bay (sections 189 and 190) at a place later known as Kings Beach and named after him. By February 1873 the sale of ‘Household Furniture, Agricultural Implements, etc’ was advertised at his Farm. The following month he leased Landcross Farm near Noarlunga from John Gribble. There he lived and farmed for seven years until he retired to the town of McLaren Vale. He and his wife had fourteen, possibly fifteen children, none of whom were born at Landcross Farm . He was granted a slaughtering licence in January 1877. He also grew wine grapes – probably from a vineyard that had already been established by Gribble. On 23 March 1880 Pavy & Hack advertised for auction, ‘on account of [his] leaving the district’, the sale of his farm stock, household furniture and equipment. This coincided with his lease expiring and his impending retirement. In March 1885 he purchased from David Beyer, Allotment Number 9, portion of Section 135 ‘of two acres or thereabouts’ on Main South Road (now Main Road), McLaren Vale. [CT427/74].
In June 1888 he nominated for the Noarlunga District Council and was duly elected the following month indicating he was still very much focused on community affairs. He and Druscilla celebrated their Golden Wedding in November 1898 at McLaren Vale (twelve months prematurely). This may have been when the group photograph was taken. On Christmas Day 1904, Eli King and his wife held a reunion of their family at the McLaren Vale district hall. During the day games were played behind Thomas Hardy’s wine cellars, then ‘the evening was spent in the hall in games and dancing’. [Adelaide Observer, 2 Jan 1904 p3]
King later said that ‘he had started at the lowest rung of the ladder, … [and] as a result of hard work and self-denial, [he could] scorn the idea of accepting an old age pension’. On 5 February 1905, Drucilla/Druscilla/Drusilla King died aged 78 years at Mclaren Vale a month after a fall. At her death it was said she had 55 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. In October of that year, an advertisement appeared in the newspaper for the sale of a property at McLaren Vale and to apply to Eli King. The property was described as a ‘substantial House, six rooms and outbuildings; 3½ acres land, ½ acre vines and fruit trees, full bearing’. It appears this did not sell. Eli King died at his residence Mclaren Vale on 14 October 1912 and is buried in the McLaren Vale Uniting Church Cemetery with his wife Druscilla. His property was advertised for sale by auction on 21 December 1912. It was described as:
Allotment of Land, No. 9 of portion of Section No. 135, Hundred of Willunga, County of Adelaide, laid out as Bellevue; and also other portion of the said Section 135 containing Two Acres (or thereabouts); and is the whole of the Land comprised in Certificate of Title, Register Book vol. 472, folio 74, on which is erected a substantial Stone House of Five Rooms, Stable, Well of good water, etc’. [‘Advertising’, The Register, 18 December p. 16.]
The property was transferred to his daughter Drucilla Price who was by then widowed. The property is located on Main Road, Mclaren Vale opposite the Mclaren Vale Primary School, although it has since been subdivided into housing.
Eli King and his wife Druscilla had at least 14 children – some reports suggest 15. They were:
- Eli John born 7 December 1848 Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire; died 6 December 1851 Adelaide
- Mary Ann born August 1850; died at sea between August-November1851
- Mary Ann born 4 May 1853; died 25 February 1876 at Inman Valley (registered as Mary Ann Crossman King). She married Fredrick [sic] Crossman on 17 May 1870 at Encounter Bay.
- Frederic/k born 12 May 1854 twin (birth registered Adelaide district); died 1903 drowned near Port Willunga when fishing; married Mary Matilda Ingram 5 April 1880 at the Bible Christian Manse, North Adelaide
- Jane born 12 May 1854 twin (birth registered Adelaide district); died 24 May 1854 aged 12 days
- Thomas born 2 August 1855 Encounter Bay; died 5 July 1930 by accident at McLaren Vale; married Jennie Alexandra Stephenson in New Zealand
- John born 9 March 1857 Inman Valley; married Elizabeth Price 21 March 1878 at the Church, Noarlunga; died 11 January 1901 McLaren Vale
- William born 18 September 1858 Inman Valley; died 1930; married Sarah Annie Dawe 20 May 1884 at Timaru, New Zealand
- Drucilla born 3 May 1860 at Encounter Bay; died 24 March 1954 in Adelaide; married Edward (Ted) Price 10 May 1882 at the Wesleyan Church, McLaren Vale
- Eli born 21 September 1861 at Encounter Bay; died 18 July 1946 at Williamstown; married 1 May 1884 to Alice Bertha Smith at Adelaide
- Henery born 28 June 1863 Encounter Bay; married Mary Ann Caffrey 1 November 1893 at McLaren Vale; died 19 December 1929 at McLaren Vale
- Florence Jane born 2 April 1865 at Encounter Bay; died 19 October 1947 at St Peters; married Thomas Edmund (Edwin) Cooke 17 March 1884 at Parkside
- Edward born 27 December 1866 Encounter Bay; died 22 March 1906 at Timaru, NZ; married Ellen (Nellie) Stevenson on 28 October 1896 at Timaru, New Zealand
- George born 21 May 1868 Encounter Bay; died 15 September 1949 at Ashburton, Canterbury, New Zealand; married Fanny Maude Dawe 1897 New Zealand
