Dr JA Cockburn purchased Lot 23 on the corner of Cockburn Road & Clifton Road on 19th March 1874, and by 1877 owned the Lots 21- 43 extending to South Terrace. He planted a large amount of trees on these lots. Dr Cockburn’s home was built on Lot 23 by local contractors. A decorative fountain was brought out from England by Dr Cockburn and placed in the North/West corner of the garden.
After leaving Jamestown in 1886 he rented his home Dr’s A Pentland, WB Aitken, CV Wells, J Kneebone & E West. In 1925 Dr EJ Swan purchased the property from the Cockburn Estate. In 1948 Dr LE Verco moved to Jamestown from Clare and purchased the property. In 1979 he retired to Adelaide and took the fountain with him. After Dr Verco died in 1996 Mrs Verco returned the fountain to Jamestown.
Thanks to John Tohlke and then Merv Robinson who have stored the fountain in their sheds since it’s arrival from Adelaide.
Recently the Jamestown Hospital Auxiliary was asked if we could organise someone to help restore the fountain. A big Thank You to Jamestown Engineering for their amazing restoration work on this beautiful old fountain.
The newly restored fountain is now in front of the Jamestown Hospital in memory of those doctors in whose garden it stood for 100 years.
By Margaret Hall
