www.monumentaustralia.org.au
Charles Hilton DightPrint Page 
27-May-2023
Photographs supplied by Chris McLaughlin
The fountain commemorates Charles Hilton Dight (1841 - 1913), who was a philanthropist to many organisations in the Albury area, and commited suicide in 1913.
Mr. Dight 's name has been a 'household word' in Albury district and Riverina generally, because of his consistent, generous, and unostentatious support of every movement of a charitable and philanthropic nature. His charitableness and generosity knew no bounds. Few amongst even his closest associates knew the extent of his philanthropy and public
spirit. In his hands wealth, which is poverbially believed to corrupt more men than poverty, was a means of bringing comfort, as far as it could, to the poor and afflicted, and of helping every movement making for the welfare of the community and advancement of the town. The late Mr. Dight was a keen sportsman, and extended substantial financial assistance to all branches of sport. Apart from that, in his time he had actively participated in a variety of field sports. He was a particularly keen cricketer and for years was one of the most enthusiastic exponents of the game in Albury. He also gave generous support to golf (in which he excelled), football, cricket, and bowls. Charles Hilton Dight was known to the present generation almost entirely as a gentleman of independent means, and as a philanthropist who had no desire to win for himself that title; but to old residents he was known as one of the genuine pioneers of the country, and as a connection of one of the most illustrious pioneering families of Australia.
Daily Advertiser, 19 December 1913
Charles was the son of John Dight, who was a pastoralist who had extensive land holdings, included Jindera, then known as Dight’s Forest. Dight’s Hill now bears his name. In 1839 John Dight purchased land on the Yarra River in Victoria and established Melbourne’s first water-powered flour mill at Yarra Bend, where Dight’s Falls still perpetuate the name. John Dight returned to his holdings in the Albury area and was the builder of the first flour mill in the Albury district, erecting it on a branch of the river at Bungowannah.
The Bungowannah Estate passed to Charles, but the Robertson Land Act of 1861 had made much of the original holding opened up for free selection - the Dight family retained 6000 acres with river frontage of the original 96000 acres that they originally claimed. Charles and his three brothers ran the property until it was sold to John Grieve in 1873. Charles then came to live privately at ‘Genaren,’ Crisp Street, Albury. He died on December 17, 1913 leaving a widow and grown up family of one son and three daughters.
IN MEMORIAM TO C. H. DIGHT. DRINKING FOUNTAIN COMPLETED.
A drinking fountain erected to perpetuate the memory, of the late C. H. Dight, has been erected in the Albury botanical gardens. The fountain is uncommon and quite original in design. The base and sub-base are hexagon, and the column triangular, with buttresses at each corner, and basins in the centre of each face, the whole being surmounted by a massive canopy. The sub-base is carried out in rock-faced Footscray bluestone. The base and plinth in axed Malmsbury bluestone, and the rest of the work in rubbed Sydney freestone. Two of the basins are provided with spring bubblers, and the third with a spring tap for the convenience of persons providing their own drinking vessels. An inscription in bronze reads -'Erected by his fellow citizens to the memory of Charles Hilton Dight, 1914.' 1914.'' The fountain is massive and durable. It is an acquisition to the gardens, both from artistic and utilitarian viewpoints, and reflects great credit on all parties concerned. The work was carried out by Mr. T. Greenfield, of Kiewa Street, from drawings by Mr. W. Powrie, of the Trades' School.
Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times, 3 February 1916
Location
| Address: | Wodonga Place & Smollett Street, Botanic Gardens, Albury, 2640 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -36.081131 Long: 146.909623 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Fountain |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Tragedy |
| Designer: | Mr. W. Powrie (Albury, NSW) |
| Monument Manufacturer: | Mr. T. Greenfield (Albury, NSW) |
Dedication
Front Inscription
Source: MAErected by his fellow citizens
In memory of Charles Hilton Dight
1841 - 1913
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au
