Horace Bracey, born 3 Nov 1851 in Yarmouth, Norfolk, sailed to Australia on board a windjammer at the age of twenty-one. As a youth in England a reversal of the family fortunes dashed his hopes of becoming a doctor and following in the footsteps of his illustrious first cousin once removed, Sir James Paget, known best for his reports and studies of the progressive bone disorder known as Paget's disease of the bone, or osteitis deformans.
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Soon after his arrival in New South Wales, Horace joined the warehouse firm of Robert Gray& Son, York St, Sydney. The young Englishman quickly adapted to his new conditions and it was not long before his employers recognised his loyalty, keen business sense and ability to discern good value. He soon rose to managerial status in the company.
During his time at Robert Gray's, Horace returned to England to marry Kate Louisa Bailey at St Anne's Kew, in Surrey on November 3, 1875. After a brief married life, the first Mrs Bracey died, leaving Horace with their infant daughter, Katie Mary Nina, to care for.
Horace returned to Sydney on board the Christiana Thomson in 1877 and resumed his former position at Robert Gray & Son.
A month later Horace proposed to Miss Alice Isabel Pearce of Randwick and the couple were married at St Jude's Church, Randwick on 18, July 1878. Alice and Horace settled down to build their home life and prosper in Sydney's commercial life, but once more the inscrutable hand of fate intervened, and the couple were advised to settle in a cool climate when Alice suffered ill health and complications from an accident.
By the beginning of 1886, Horace Bracey, having decided upon the means of his livelihood, took over the business of Cohen and Sampson and hung his own name over the door of the Excelsior Arcade in Lithgow. Horace and Alice Bracey lived in the substantial brick cottage built on the western side of the store.
From those early beginnings in 1886 Horace Bracey's business kept step with the growth of the town progressing, prospering, and expanding its service to the community. But this growth was not without hardship. Faith in his creator and his destiny and the determination to do his duty by his family gave him the courage to whether the acute trade depression in the years following 1886 and then the great bank crash of 1893 when the confidence and spirit of many traders was shattered.
One example of Horace's integrity was seen in 1893. The cash from the week's takings was banked the day before the banks closed. Determined to pay his suppliers' accounts on time, Horace immediately visited Sydney, and arranged a loan on the security of his life insurance policies with the AMP Society. This action stamped him as a man of integrity and honour, a characteristic of which he was proud.
READ MORE: Bracey, more than just a Lithgow family name
Major Bracey was a deeply religious man and had always taken a prominent part in the affairs of the Church of England. He served as the rector's warden at St Paul's Lithgow from April 21,1909 until his death in 1928. The west window of St Paul's was dedicated in his memory on 22, September 1929 by Bishop Coadjutor Gerard D'Arcy-Irvine.
By 1912 Lithgow was being spoken of as the 'Birmingham of Australia'. The Lithgow Small Arms Factory was under construction, Hoskins Iron & Steel was in full production supplying rails for the NSW Railways, the feet of escarpments surrounding the valley were dotted with the adits of the coal mines supplying coal under contract to the NSW Railways and power stations in Sydney. Andrew Brown's tweed mill was linked to government contracts supplying khakis to the Army.
It was at this time that Horace Bracey contracted Sydney architects Spain, Cosh & Dods of Spring St to design a family home on a grand scale in Ordnance Avenue in Lithgow and which he subsequently named Wenvoe (pronounced as Wenvo-ee). Horace Bracey supervised the erection of the building, using day labour.
A foundation member of the Lithgow Golf Club, Horace also took a keen interest in the Lithgow Rifle Club and was elected as its secretary in 1889.
Horace Bracey was an enthusiastic admirer of the old militia, and he was associated with the Lithgow section in its early days, joining as a lieutenant, and later commanding the regiment as captain. When he retired, he was given the honorary rank of Major, and it is a tribute to the personality of the man, that he was latterly always given this courtesy title by both acquaintances and friends.
He was a member of the old school board, for several years a guardian of minors, and as licensing magistrate was always to be found on the bench until the court was abolished in the mid-1920s.
One of six men who were appointed as temporary trustees of Reserve No. 139 at Hassans Walls, Lithgow on January 6, 1893, Horace served as a trustee until 1928. The Lands Department erected a steel pillar at the Bracey Trig Station near Bracey's Lookout in his honour.
Horace Bracey entered Lithgow Council in November 1889, resigned in early 1895 owing to a difference of opinion with his fellow alderman regarding an appointment. However, in 1895, he was back again at the general elections, and in the same year was elected as Mayor. He was re-elected in 1896 and elected Mayor in 1903, 1906 and 1910, ultimately retiring from the Council about four years later.
Horace's wife, Alice Isabel Bracey died at home in July 1919, a few days before her son Eric was due home from the Second World War.
Horace Edward Seymour Bracey died on August 24, 1928. He was buried in the Anglican portion of the Lithgow Cemetery alongside his wife, following a service at his home, Wenvoe, by Rev R A Pollard.
The hearse was preceded in the funeral procession by the male employees of the firm and followed by over 100 cars, whilst a large crowd had also congregated at the cemetery.
Respected in life, Horace Edward Seymour Bracey was honoured in death by people from all walks of life and with whom he came in contact since those early days when he arrived in Lithgow with a dream to build a family business.