Sarah's story ... excerpts of her life's purpose

Horticulture 
Our Fruit Industry.  Keyneton-its environs
 [By our Special Correspondent.]
Chronicle  14 December 1895
...Apart from the fruit and the excellent rosaries and flowers, there are many features about Keyneton that are decidedly interesting. The whole district seems to savour of pioneer work and industry, and perhaps one of the most respected identities is Mrs. S. L. Evans, president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, a lady full of philanthropic instinct. A sister of the Hon. J. H. Angas, Mrs. Evans often has her friends deeply absorbed in her narration of early day incidents and pioneering adventures. The surround-
ings of Evandale, the residence of Mrs. Evans, are charmingly picturesque. A huge nursery, beautified by nice walks and shady nooks, which entrance the visitor, lies at the bottom of a nicely laid out and extensive garden, brilliant with bloom and redolent with delightful perfume...

Death of Mrs. Evans.

A Prominent Temperance Supporter.

On Monday Mrs. Evans, the wife of Mr. H. Evans, died at her residence, Keyneton. Despite her age of eighty-
two years, Mrs. Evans was of a most active disposition, and until quite recently was a familiar figure in many parts of the district.
She belonged to a prominent pioneer family closely identified with the early history of South Australia, her father, having been one of the founders of the colony. Mrs Evans arrived in the colony by the ship Madras on September 14, 1843, with her husband, child and Mr. J. H. Angas, her brother. She was a very observ-
ant and extremely kind-hearted lady, and having gone through all the experiences associated with the introduction of civilised customs into South Australia she had many interesting tales to tell concerning early colonial life.
It was a treat to spend an evening in her company and hear related the striking events that made the life of the pioneers' one of adventure, pluck, and hard work. To most of the charitable institutions of the province her benevolent nature was well known. She was one of the pioneers of temperance work in South Australia, and she always took a lively and practical interest in that work. At Angaston and in that neighbourhood her influence was much felt. She had made a rule that no place for the sale of intoxicants should be built on any of her property, and at Keyneton she carried out a work that was a special hobby of hers in the shape of a Temperance Hotel.
  

To her liberal support is due, to a large degree, the present influential and prominent position of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in South Australia, and up to the time of her death she had given it most substantial assistance. Every movement in connection with this cause was aided by her. When the Women's Temple was erected in Chicago the names of all donors of 25 pounds [sterling] were placed on marble slabs at that institution, and owing to the liberality of Mrs. Evans the name of the South Australian branch of the W.C.T.T.U. is among those names. Another institution that has largely benefited by Mrs. Evans's liberality, is the Mission Church at Keyneton, which is conducted by the Rev. F. C. B. Fairey. Her charity extended far beyond the limits of her home, and among the distant organisations that have benefited by her liberality are Dr. Barnardo's Children's Homes and the Syrian Mission.

Our Angaston correspondent, writing on June 8, supplies the following particulars:-
 This district has sustained a severe loss in the death of Mrs. Sarah Lindsay Evans, who passed away at her residence, Evandale, near Keyneton, early on Monday morning, June 6. During last week Mrs. Evans contracted a severe cold and as the symptoms become more serious, Dr. Campbell, of Adelaide, was sent for, but it was impossible for him to afford relief. The deceased lady was the daughter of the late Mr. George Fife Angas and sister of Mr. John Howard Angas, of Collingrove, and Mrs. Hannay, of Angaston.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans after residing in Adelaide for some time removed to this district and Mr. Evans entered on pastoral pursuits, and erected Lindsay House, near Angaston. When Mr. George Fife Angas arrived in the colony in 1850 he made his home at Lindsay, and Mr. and Mrs. Evans removed to North Rhine, where they were of the first settlers, and purchased the Evandale estate and also rented a large area of land from the Government in the North Rhine district.

Mr. Evans died in 1868, and his wife managed the estate for a number of years and then transferred the active supervision to her son, Mr. Henry Angas Evans, whose Ivanhoe estate joins the Evandale. The deceased lady possessed exceptionally good business ability, but this latter faculty did not prevent her from being a goodhearted and true woman.
She and her acts of benevolence were numerous and far reaching. The temperance cause will sustain a great loss through her death, as she was ever ready to assist this movement and forward its interests.

During her residence at Evandale she erected at her own cost a Temperance Hall, Temperance Hotel, and the local Manse. In all respects she was a most liberal woman, and her loss will be severely felt in this district, as her support could always be depended on for any deserving public purpose, and her purse was always open to relieve genuine distress.

She was an ardent supporter of the temperance cause, and took a deep interest in all religious movements, particularly the Bible Society and Foreign Missions. To these she subscribed liberally not only in the colony, but in all parts of the Empire. For many years she was collector for the Bible Society, and tract distributor over a large district. During all extremes of weather she travelled many miles in carrying out these duties.  In the North Rhine district her name was a household word, and her death will be acutely felt many directions.

Mrs. Evans has left one son, who has a large family, and four of his sons are married, and settled in North Rhine. As evidence of the changes that have taken place during Mrs. Evans' residence in this district, and the inconveniences of pioneer existence, it may be interesting to note that when she and her husband first settled here, the most ordinary stores could not be procured nearer than Adelaide. The roads were not made, and the only communication with the city was by bullock-drays. On one occasion Mrs. Evans travelled by bullock-dray from Lindsay Park to Adelaide in a night and a day - a record trip for those days.

The funeral took place today, and was largely attended by people from all parts of the district.
An impressive service was held in the North Rhine church, after which the cortege proceeded to Lindsay, where the remains were interred in the private mausoleum of the Angas family, the Revs.
J. Robertson, of Adelaide, F. C. B. Fairey, of Keyneton, W. H. Newbold, of Truro, and W.N. Grant, of Angaston, taking part in the funeral service.
Among those present were:-
Mr. H.A. Evans (son), Messrs, Frederick L,
A. Lindsay, Arthur H. and George Evans (grandsons), Mr. John H. Angas, (brother) and Messrs. Charles H. Angas [nephew], James A. Johnson [nephew],
H. A. Parsons, A. E. Collins, W. Clark, E. Salter, James Hague, M.P., Sidney Smith, E. Hague, Albert Lillecrapp, George C. Thyer, R.H. Ball, John Murray, J.S. Wainwright, Richard R. Keynes, and Dr. Heinrich.
The Advertiser 10 June & Chronicle 11 June 1898

  

 

The Late Mrs. Evans.

The will of Mrs Sarah Lindsay Evans, Evandale, near Angaston, has been lodged for probate ... The estate is set down at 190,000 pounds [sterling]. The deceased has bequeathed to the Independent Chapel of Evandale 250 pounds [sterling], to be paid in 20 quarterly instalments.
To four grandsons the testatrix gives an annuity of 200 pounds [sterling] each, and to her housekeeper, Elizabeth Edwards, an annuity of 23 pounds [sterling] is left.
The income from the residue of the estate goes to her son, Mr. Henry Angas Evans, for his life, and at his death to his widow and children.
The Advertiser 15 July 1898

 

The War And The Drink Traffic.

From the Rev. J. Nelson:- Mr. H. L. Penfold-Hyland says 'Temperance' knows that it would be just as impossible to turn 'wine grapes into raisins as to turn ice cream into ginger nuts.' As I have seen an invitation given by Mr. Hyland to visit his establishment and see his wine cellars and vineyards, I wonder if he has ever visited the little township of Keyneton. To do so he would pass through the lovely townships of Angaston and Collingrove, and at Keyneton he would find a temperance hotel, and near it a manse, which was erected for me by the late Mrs. S. L. Evans, when I became the minister there in 1883, and remained till I left for India in 1889.

Across the road from the manse is a gate and road which heads up to the large building, which was once a wine cellar, but was turned into a temperance hall, and had a vine vat for a platform, and the first temperance meeting on the beautiful estate of Evandale, North Rhine, was held in it. Afterwards a large temperance hall was erected near the Congregational Church, of which I was then the pastor. In it the Sunday school, temperance, and all public meetings are held.

The late Mr. H. A. Evans, of Ivanhoe, started a large dry fruit industry in the wine cellar. He uprooted a lot of the vines and planted large orchards of apples and various kinds of fruits, and he turned the wine grapes into currants; which are dried on large trays in the sun, and he told me they paid far better than winemaking. He knew the harm that winemaking and wine drinking did, especially on the Murray Flats.

As the Evans brothers carry on the business, they are always pleased to see visitors, and will be delighted, I feel sure, if Mr. H. L. Penfold-Hyland will pay them a visit, and find it is not impossible to turn wine grapes into currants. I would just add that when I became the minister in 1883 it was the first Congregational Church in South Australia to adopt 'unfermented wine' at the Communion of the Lord's Supper.
 Register Monday 5 March 1917